Reservoir Logs - January 2026 round-up

 

                         Once regular, this Scaup was the first for two years pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social 

        A fly-over Great Northern Diver, Scaup and Woodcock were the highlights of the first month of 2026. After a determined team effort saw 66 species counted on New Year's Day, January’s total  reached 82 - two more than last year but one behind 2024. 

       The Barnacle Goose flock remained all month, roosting overnight on the south side and feeding largely on the playing fields. Shelduck continued to be slow to return but four birds were back by the 25th.   

                       The Scaup stuck to the south end of West Warwick pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social 

           The reservoirs were once a regular site in London for Scaup, helped by a drake which wintered on No 4 until 2023. But they have become much scarcer recently with a male for just two days in 2024 and no sightings at all last year. So the 1W female found by CF on the 30th on West Warwick was welcome particularly as it stayed into February. 

                          A trio of drake Goldeneye graced the Wetlands pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

          Goosander are also getting scarcer with the only record a brief visit by a drake to Lockwood on the 22nd while the peak count of Goldeneye was at most four on the 31st. When this monthly round-up began in 2017, the highest count for Goldeneye in January was 13 and six for Goosander.

   The first Great Northern Diver since 2024 sadly didn't stop pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

      A Great Northern Diver was watched and photographed by SD circling the Wetlands on the 25th.  It is only the second record since 2013 and was perhaps the winterer from KGV reservoirs five miles further north up the Lea Valley. Red Kites also drifted down the valley with singles on the 2nd and 10th. 

                          A cold snap saw a good passage of Lapwing  pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

       Five species of waders were seen including a good cold weather passage of Lapwing. Around 25 were counted in the 4th, 170 next day and still 87 on the 6th followed by singles on the 23rd & 29th. Having waited almost two years for a Woodcock, SD had the second in consecutive months at the south end of No 3 on the 11th although, unusually, it proved too fast for his camera trigger finger. 

      Up to six Common Snipe could be seen roosting in the 'doughnut' in the middle of East Warwick island across the month. At least two Common Sandpipers are wintering, mainly on High Maynard.  High water levels in the flood relief channel saw a Green Sandpiper again pushed onto Lockwood on the 10th.     

                                         A smart Caspian Gull was seen regularly early in January pic @MD 

      A 1W Caspian Gull was picked out by RE on High Maynard on the 2nd and was seen occasionally until the 16th. Two days later, a young Yellow-legged Gull was found on Lockwood. By the end of January, Black-headed Gulls were already gathering around the Lockwood rafts ready for the breeding season. Ravens, once almost mythical at the Wetlands, continue to make regular visits with a single over on the 8th and two on the 19th. 

       Another species becoming more regular, if very much on the opposite side of the size spectrum, is  Firecrest. A single was found by GJ at the south end of West Warwick on the 30th with two next day. They seem from the ringed male to be the same pair recorded in the same area in November. West Warwick was also the favourite haunt of up to three Stonechats. 

               Two Redpoll made brief appearances early in the month pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

      A female Blackcap , again likely to be the same bird seen last month, was around the car park boardwalk on the 2nd. Winter thrushes continue to be scarce although a flock of 20+ Redwing fed occasionally in the berry bushes by the Engine House and 17 Fieldfare passed over on the 25th. There were also a few records of winter finches with Redpoll on at least three days including one caught on the 19th and Siskins recorded occasionally in very small numbers including on the 1st, 6th and 10th.

DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social

Reservoir Logs - December 2025 round-up

 

            These Bewick’s Swans were an early Xmas present pic @samodonell25.bsky.social 

      A Christmas Eve visit from two Bewick’s Swans -  the first record for 12 years - was the stand-out record of December. The month, which finished well after a very slow start, also saw two fly-over White-fronted Geese and the only Woodcock of the year as well as the re-appearance of the Ravens and unseasonal Little Gulls and Common Whitethroat. 

        In all, 81 species were seen across December, two less than in 2024. The three additions to the annual list means it finished on 148, again two short of  last year's record but still the second highest ever total. Scoter and Common Redstart - both for the second year running - Mandarin, Scaup, Short-eared Owl and Ring Ouzel were among the species missed which might have been expected. But there was plenty to enjoy in 2025 including Red-necked Grebe, Ruff, Honey-Buzzard, Hoopoe, Bittern and Yellow-browed Warbler along with successful breeding by Little Owls and remarkable passage of both Brent Geese and Bar-tailed Godwits. 

                   Two fly-over White-fronts were part of a mini-invasion pic @samodonell25.bsky.social

       Our flock of 14 Barnacle Geese continued to roost on the reservoirs and feed on the neighbouring playing fields. But they were eclipsed by two White-fronted Geese , well picked up by SD after they had been seen flying south high over at nearby KGV reservoirs on the 30th. They are the first record of White-fronts since 2020 when, during a similar influx from Europe, a single bird spent several weeks on the reservoirs.  

                              Bewick’s Swans flying in to  East Warwick pic@samodonnell25.bsky.social

       The White-fronts were part of a cold weather movement of wildfowl into the UK in late December which also saw an early Christmas present with the arrival of two Bewick’s Swans arrive on the 24th. They were watched flying in by SD mid-morning before landing on East Warwick where they stayed all day, drawing in a stream of birders to enjoy a true London rarity. They are the first at the Wetlands since 2013 and seem to be the first to have landed this century. Individual Bewick’s can be identified by the pattern of yellow on their bills so we know that they continued on to the WWT reserve at Slimbridge 120 miles to the west where they had arrived by Boxing Day. 

        Fewer Wigeon than usual were seen despite the cold weather pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

        By the end of December, several Shelduck might normally have been expected back at the Wetlands from their post-breeding moult but the only record was one on the 20th. Wigeon were also scarcer than usual, with just singles on the 23rd and 31st and a pair on the 30th. Goldeneye numbers, too, were down with two drakes on the 19th, 22nd and 27th the highest count. This was better than Goosander with no records at all over December when, even a decade ago, there would have been regular sightings across the month. 

          Goldeneye were also down but this drake was approachable pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social 

     Great White Egrets were seen early morning on the 27th and 29th, perhaps emerging from the Little Egret roost on the south side. The only Buzzard was on Christmas Eve although others were seen heading towards the Wetlands from Walthamstow Marsh. 

                 Up to three Snipe roosted in the East Warwick island pic @Ivorh.bsky.social

      Five species of waders were seen with the best a Woodcock which came off the grass side of Lockwood on the 12th, the only record of the year. Up to three Common Snipe were seen regularly in the East Warwick island while at least two - and perhaps three - Common Sandpiper are wintering at the Wetlands with a single Green Sandpiper seen on the 21st. The cold weather saw two Lapwing arrive on the 23rd before at least 100, including a flock of 66, passing over next day.  

            An adult Little Gull was a double bonus on Christmas Eve pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

       In a remarkable co-incidence, a Little Gull which is normally a Spring bird was found for the second consecutive Christmas Eve at the Wetlands. As remarkable, it was being watched by SD when he saw the Bewick’s fly in, the second month in a row that two rarities were spotted by the same person from the same place at the same time following CF's Bittern/Yellow-browed Warbler double in November. More evidence of how far birds travel to the Wetlands came in a Common Gull rung in Bremen in Germany. 

        Ravens, whose regular appearances have been one of the highlights of the year, returned after an absence of a few weeks with a single on the 17th and a pair on both the 19th and 24th. Kingfishers continued to show well with many sightings on the Coppermill both north and south of the main road. 

                      A December Common Whitethroat is highly unusual pic @samodonnell.bsky.social

        There was a better showing than normal from warblers with a Common Whitethroat, the first winter record since 2012, photographed by SD on the 13th. Single Blackcaps, usually rare at the Wetlands in winter, were seen on the 11th and 30th and two on the 5th. 'Siberian' Chiffchaffs were also regular with two caught on the 3rd.  

         It continues to be a poor winter for Redwing and Fieldfare with numbers feeding on the berries remaining in the low single figures. Three Stonechats continue to winter, usually on West Warwick, while single Siskin were seen on the 6th and 14th with a pair of Redpoll at the Sensory Garden on the 24th. Up to six Reed Buntings could be seen feeding on the seed heads in No 1 reed bed on calm days throughout the month. 

DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social

Reservoir Logs - November 2025 round-up

 

                                          The Bittern enjoying the sun after a freezing night pic @DD           

      November brought a showy Bittern , the first since 2012, the fourth ever Yellow-browed Warbler and a remarkable one-day passage of Brent Geese. Both the Bittern and Yellow-browed were found on the same morning from the same spot by the same observer - CF - to rescue what had been, up to then, a pretty dull month.  In all, 84 species were seen across November, four fewer than than last year while the two additions mean the annual total so far stands at 145 compared to 2024's record 147.   

                          The Yellow-browed remained into December pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social 

       Brent Goose are annual at the reservoirs but usually just single birds which drop in for a brief time during migration to rest. So the flocks picked up high going south down the Lea Valley on the 16th were very unusual. The first grouping of 70+ over the Wetlands were seen by LB to be followed by more following the same track over the next 90 minutes. As different flocks were seen by different observers, it is difficult to say the number of birds involved but it is possible that as many as 200 Brents passed over the reservoirs.  

                         Brent flocks headed south over the Wetlands pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

       It was a slow month for ducks. A single Shelduck made a one-day appearance on the 19th. The young drake Goldeneye, which first arrived in late October, stayed around until the 8th but no others were seen. Goosander are no longer regular visitors with the only records on the 12th and 13th while, unusually, no Wigeon were seen at all. 

                                The Bittern put on a good show early morning @chris-farthing.bsky.social                                                               

       There have been plenty of discussions in recent years about the probability that Bittern - not seen since 2012 - are passing through the Wetlands undetected. Discussions always centred on the No 1 reedbed which is where CF was rewarded for regularly scanning the reeds when he found one sunning itself out in the open on the 21st. It caused considerable excitement among birders, LWT staff and visitors as it stayed in full view for a couple of hours before disappearing back into the reeds. It partially re-emerged in the late afternoon but was not seen again. Great White Egrets continued their late run with records on both the 8th and 18th. 

                  Two Great Egrets visited the reservoirs in November pic@ samodonnell25.bsky.social

       Only four species of waders were seen - three down on last year's total. The most unusual record was the second Grey Plover of the year which made a brief stop on High Maynard on the 19th during the cold snap. The same conditions also saw two additional Common Sandpipers join the wintering bird on the 17th & 18th  while as many as 34 Lapwing arrived the same morning as the Brent passage on the 16th. Pairs were also seen on the 17th, 21st and 27th with another on the 13th. Roosting Common Snipe were seen regularly in the pond in the middle of the East Warwick island across the month.

                                         Lapwing arrived during the cold snap pic@samodonnell25.bsky.social 

       Birds of prey, apart from regular appearances by the local Peregrines, Sparrowhawks and Kestrels, were scarce with just a single Buzzard on the 17th and Red Kite on the 28th.  A Rook, which remains very uncommon at the Wetlands, was seen by SD on the 21st while the largest number of Jackdaws was a flock of 25 going west on the 16th. Wood Pigeons also passed over in good numbers in the first half of the month with an estimated 1000+ going south on the 5th. Passage was also seen with Skylarks on the 8th, 9th and 12th. 

                    The Yellow-browed very occasionally showed well pic @samodonnell25@bsky.social 

        The first Yellow-browed Warbler was only seen at the Wetlands in October 2020 with just two more records, including one caught by the ringing team, last year. CF heard the fourth calling near the Dragonfly Pond on the 21st as he was watching the Bittern he had found just an hour before. Unlike the Bittern, the Yellow-browed was reported until the end of the month although remaining elusive and easier to hear than see. Two Firecrest were seen on the 1st including presumably a bird rung in October with a Siberian Chiffchaff the next day. Both male and female Blackcaps, which usually go missing in the winter months, were reported occasionally.

                                         Firecrest are becoming more regular pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social  

       Stonechats are again wintering with a maximum count of five on the 7th. Winter thrushes remain scarce. The odd one was seen bird feeding around the reservoirs but the highest count of Redwing was 15 on the 5th with 25 Fieldfare on the 22nd. Nor was it a particularly good month for winter finches with four Redpoll on the 10th and a single on the 16th with the only Siskin a fly-over on the 28th.  

DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social 

Reservoir Logs - October 2025 round-up

              The first Water Pipit since 2021 arrived with Rock Pipits pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social
 

      The first Water Pipit since 2021 as well as the first Jack Snipe of the year were among October's highlights. There was also a good passage of winter finches along with records of Garganey, Marsh Harrier and Mediterranean Gull. The 97 species recorded is six more than last October but, unlike in 2024, the month lacked any out-and-out rarities. The two additions take the year list at the end of October to 143, just one behind last year.  

 

                                 A Garganey spent the day mid-month pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

         An early - or late - Shelduck passed through on the 19th. A Garganey was an unexpected find on the 12th on No 4. Wigeon were commoner than in 2024 when there were records on only two days with sightings on seven days in the first half of the month. A flock of seven on the 18th was the highest count. The same day saw six Pintail pass over after a single on the 6th.  Low water levels on Lockwood proved attractive to Teal early in the month with around 80 counted on the 3rd. The first Goosander of the autumn was on No 5 on the 22nd.

                           Seven Pintail were seen across the month  pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social

           Great White Egret, which had been very scarce so far this year, were seen on 1st, 14th and 19th. The second Marsh Harrier of the year was picked up, like the first, by SD on the 30th. Single Red Kites were seen on three days and Common Buzzards on two. 

                    Great Egret pic @MLP and Ringed Plover (below) pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

        Seven species of waders  - one more than last year but one behind 2023- were recorded across the month. Lapwings were the commonest with birds seen on five days with 21 on the 13th the highest counts. Just like last year, a Ringed Plover turned up in October this time on the 15th, ten days later than in 2024. A single Dunlin was seen on the 5th.

                                  Common Snipe are regular visitors but rarely show this well pic @MLP

       Common Snipe were seen on at least 13 days with four on the 18th the highest total. The same day also saw the first Jack Snipe of the year, found by SD, on No 5.  A Common Sandpiper looks as if it is settling in for the winter again, usually on High Maynard, with the regular bird joined by a second from the 20th to the 23rd.  

                                      Jack Snipe made a brief stop on No 5 pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

             The adult Yellow-legged Gull remained on the warehouse roof overlooking High Maynard until the 27th when it seemed to depart with the other large gulls. A 1W Caspian Gull turned up on  Lockwood on the 12th & 13th while a very smart adult Mediterranean Gull was seen on the 15th.

                     A  1W Caspian Gull dropped in mid-month pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social ........

                  .... as did a rather smarter adult Mediterranean Gull pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social 

        Our celebrity Kingfishers, after starring yet again on television, continued to live up to their billing to delight visitors. If they looked up at the pylons this month, they had a chance of seeing Ravens as well which continued their rapid transition from mythical rarity to semi-resident, There were regular sightings of a pair across October at the Wetlands and on nearby Walthamstow and Tottenham Marshes but they may now have relocated to Alexandra Palace, October as usual saw a passage of Jackdaws including a flock of 60 over on the 13th. 

                                   Ravens were regular visitors pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

           As usual, October sees a passage of Skylarks with records on at least seven days with three on the 19th the highest day total. Both Coal Tit and Nuthatch, while still scarce, appear to be getting commoner with another Coal Tit on the 25th and the third Nuthatch of the year on the 9th.  A Swallow was seen on the 5th - four days later than last year - with the final six House Martins on the 6th, one day before 2024's last sighting.

                                              Firecrests enlivened the regular ringing sessions pic @ MLP

         A ringing session on the 2nd saw a very late Garden Warbler caught as well as both Common and Lesser Whitethroat. None of them was recorded into October last year and the Garden Warbler may be the latest in London since 2018. Reed Warblers usually linger a little longer with the last sighting this year on the 5th. Ringing also suggests Firecrests may be passing through regularly with one caught on the 1st and a pair on the 22nd. Wheatears were scarce with records only on the 5th and 8th while last year there were records on seven days until the 27th. Stonechats were seen across the month with at least five on the 23rd

                          A late Garden Warbler was a surprise find in the nets pic @wheresryhs.bsky.social

        As the warblers left, the winter thrushes began to arrive. The first Redwing was seen on the 7th with 100 over on 13th. Fieldfare were, as has been the case in recent years, fewer in number with the first on the 18th and the highest count just seven on the 28th. This was at least better than last year when there were no records until the last day of the month. 

                            Rock Pipit (above) and Water Pipit  pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

        It was a good month for the scarcer pipits with Rock Pipits seen on eight days with two on the 2nd and 19th. The 19th also saw the first Water Pipit for five years found by SD  on Lockwood. While Rock Pipit are expected visitors in early Spring and late Autumn, Water Pipits have been seen at the Wetlands in only three of the previous ten years. 

          There was a good showing as well from winter finches. Two Brambling were seen on the 18th with a single on the 22nd. Redpoll were commoner than usual with records on nine days with ten on the 15th the highest day count. Siskin were also widespread with sightings on ten days with nine on the 5th the largest total.

                           

DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social

 

Reservoir Logs - September 2025 round-up

 

                                    A juvenile Honey Buzzard battling strong winds pic @eugenedh.bsky.social 

          The first Honey Buzzard since 2022 and the first Grasshopper Warbler for four years were the month's highlights. September also saw a smart summer-plumaged Grey Plover make a brief rest stop and a pair of Ravens make two long-awaited visits. Add in late second records of both Osprey and Great White Egret and September finished more strongly than it started.

                         The Grasshopper Warbler resting after release pic @samodonnell25.bskyb.social 

           Across the month, 98 species were seen which compares favourably to 91 last year. The annual total at 141 is also four ahead of 2024.  Among the species still unrecorded but nearly annual are Mandarin, Scaup, Common Scoter, Woodcock, Short-eared Owl and Ring Ouzel so there is plenty of scope for additions before the year ends. 

                                   The Garganey stayed on No 4 for 10 days pic @chris-farthing.bskyb.social                  

                                                  

         August's Garganey remained until the 4th. Shoveler numbers, as expected, built up during the month but the peak count of around 50 is half the number seen in some years. The first two Wigeon of the Autumn arrived on the 23rd - over two weeks later than last year - with four next day and different single birds on the 29th and 30th. The post-breeding flock of Tufted Duck which still numbered 1385 on the 1st steadily dispersed across the month while it was a struggle to see more than a handful of  Pochard. 

 

                                                                Wigeon were late arriving pic @ivorh.skysb.social

          It was an excellent month for birds of prey. As well as frequent sightings of Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, RE found the second Osprey of the year going north over West Warwick on the 24th. This was beaten in the rarity stakes by the juvenile Honey Buzzard found and photographed (below) by @eugenedh.bsky.social going low in the gale-force southerlies on the 15th. This is the first since September 2022 with the previous record ten years before. 

                 

            Red Kites were seen on four days with Common Buzzards slightly commoner than recently with records on the 7th, two on the 25th and singles again on the 26th and 30th. Hobby continued to make typically brief appearances with sightings on seven days with the last record on the 17th.  

                 This fine summer-plumaged Grey Plover make a brief stop pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social

            Wader of a month in which nine species were recorded was a stunning summer-plumaged Grey Plover on the 3rd which flew past CF and DB on Lockwood before resting at the north end for a few minutes. Grey Plover are just about annual but are usually not in their breeding finery. Three Lapwing also made a brief stop on the 29th on East Warwick. 

                         Three juvenile Ringed Plover turned up on Lockwood @samodonnell25.bsky.social

           Two Common Ringed Plover were seen on the 5th with a single on the 28th, a pair of fly-over Curlew on the 7th with another reported on the 19th. Two very tame Dunlin spent the 3rd & 4th on Lockwood ignoring the passers-by just yards away with another making a much briefer appearance on the 27th. Common Snipe were more infrequent than some years with sightings only on the 19th & 20th and perhaps two on the 27th.

                The pair of Dunlin spent two days right next to the public path @chris-farthing.bsky.social  

           The good Autumn for Common Sandpiper continued with a second pulse of passage mid-month with a peak count of 16 on the 13th and still at least two on the 30th. Green Sandpipers were seen on the 20th, 27th & 28th while what is presumed were the same two Greenshank from August fed in the flood relief channel until the 13th. A single bird remained until the 21st when the sudden drop in temperature presumably persuaded it to end its month-long stay.  

                         Green Sand @samodonnell25bsky.social and Greenshank & Common Sand @YLD          

              The young Caspian Gull was seen again on the 1st and 7th but August's adult Yellow-legged Gull stayed throughout the month rarely leaving the warehouse roof overlooking High Maynard. Terns also found it hard to leave the Wetlands with August's Black Tern remaining until the 4th - a stay of over a week. The juvenile and adult Common Terns continued touring the reservoirs until the 17th when they were joined by a dozen more passage birds. It was again the arrival of colder weather during the 21st which encouraged the young bird finally to leave. This was 18 days later than the last tern left in 2024 which itself was a late date. 

                 The Yellow-legged Gull making a rare foray off its roof  pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social

         Two Great White Egrets passed high west over Lockwood early on the 24th - only the second record of the year. Raven has been a genuine rarity at the Wetlands despite a pair nesting successfully for several years only a few miles up the valley. So the pair, first found by RE, on the pylon just outside the southern boundary of the reserve on 7th and then tracked north across the site, delighted those lucky enough to see them. Even better, they put on exactly the same performance two days later to fill a gap in (almost) all the most regular patch birders' Walthamstow life lists.  

                          Ravens made a long-awaited visit to the Wetlands pics@samodonnell25.bsky.social

           It was while watching the Ravens flying north on the 7th that the last Swift of the year was seen going in the other direction - a week later than the last bird in 2024. The final Sand Martin of September was on the 27th and two House Martins were still present on the 30th. The strongest passage of Swallows this year, which have been scarce in both Spring and Autumn, was in the final few days of September with over 20 on both the 17th and 28th. 

        It often takes the regular ringing sessions to confirm how many birds move through the Wetlands. The morning session around the No 1 reedbed on the 6th saw 55 Blackcaps caught along with 12 Willow, six Sedge and nine Reed Warblers but the stand-out bird was the first Grasshopper Warbler since the team trapped one back in August 2021. 

              Only the third Grasshopper Warbler in the last decade  pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

         There were still two Willow Warblers on the 21st with Sedge Warblers present until at least the 14th. This was the same date as the final Common Whitethroat with a late Lesser Whitethroat on the 20th. Reed Warblers lingered in the West Warwick reed bed into October.  

                                                Spotted Flycatchers passed through in small numbers pic @YLD

        Spotted Flycatchers continued in small numbers with  a peak count of four early on the 6th, and singles on the 2nd, 12th and 19th. Wheatears, again usually singles, were seen across the month with records on nine days with a peak count of four on the 27th. The disappointing year for Whinchat continued with no records at all in September compared to ten bird days last year. Stonechats were late arriving with the first returning bird not seen until two on the 22nd - a week behind than last year. Numbers built quickly to seven with still at least five on the 30th. 

                                 
                      This Yellow Wagtail was both late and approachable pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social

           Late Yellow Wagtails included three on the 27th of which two very approachable birds stayed around on No 5 until the 29th. SD found the first two Rock Pipits of the autumn on the same reservoir on the 27th with another heard next day. Meadow Pipits passed over in good numbers with a peak count of 97 on the 20th, the same day that the first Siskins were recorded. CF had the first two Redpoll of the autumn on the 26th.           

                     Meadow Pipit passage included a few which dropped down to feed pic @ivorh.bsky.social                     

DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social