The Walthamstow List

I have consulted quite a few local birders, current and some now in exile from East London, and have compiled a Cumulative Historical List for the birds of Walthamstow Reservoirs (Banbury, Lockwood, High & Low Maynard and Nos. 1-5) Walthamstow Filter Beds, Walthamstow Marsh, Leyton Marsh, Waterworks N.R. the adjacent Pitch & Putt course and Marsh Lane Park, with the South-eastern boundary being the Dagenham Brook. This area can be seen depicted in red on the map to the right.

The list is as follows:



Mute Swan
Bewick's Swan
Whooper Swan
Pink-footed Goose
White-fronted Goose
Greylag Goose
Canada Goose
Barnacle Goose
Brent Goose
Egyptian Goose
Shelduck
Mandarin Duck
Wigeon
Gadwall
Teal
Green-winged Teal
Mallard
Pintail
Garganey
Blue-winged Teal
Shoveler
Red-crested Pochard
Pochard
Ring-necked Duck
Ferruginous Duck
Tufted Duck
Scaup
Eider
Long-tailed Duck
Common Scoter
Velvet Scoter
Goldeneye
Smew
Red-breasted Merganser
Goosander
Ruddy Duck
Red-legged Partridge
Grey Partridge
Pheasant
Red-throated Diver
Black-throated Diver
Great Northern Diver
Fulmar
European Storm-petrel
Leach's Storm-petrel
Gannet
Cormorant
Shag
Bittern
Black-crowned Night-heron
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Great White Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Spoonbill
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Honey-buzzard
Red Kite
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Goshawk
Sparrowhawk
Rough-legged Buzzard
Buzzard
Osprey
Kestrel
Red-footed Falcon
Merlin
Hobby
Peregrine Falcon
Water Rail
Spotted Crake
Corn Crake
Moorhen
Coot
Oystercatcher
Avocet
Stone Curlew
Little Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Golden Plover
Grey Plover
Lapwing
Knot
Sanderling
Little Stint
Curlew Sandpiper
Purple Sandpiper
Dunlin
Ruff
Jack Snipe
Snipe
Woodcock
Black-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Whimbrel
Curlew
Common Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Spotted Redshank
Greenshank
Wood Sandpiper
Redshank
Turnstone
Grey Phalarope
Pomarine Skua
Arctic Skua
Sabine's Gull
Kittiwake
Black-headed Gull
Little Gull
Mediterannean Gull
Common Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Caspian Gull
Iceland Gull
Glaucous Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Little Tern
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
White-winged Black Tern
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Guillemot
Razorbill
Little Auk
Rock Dove
Stock Dove
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Turtle Dove
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Cuckoo
Barn Owl
Little Owl
Tawny Owl
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Swift
Alpine Swift
Kingfisher
Hoopoe
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Red-backed Shrike
Great Grey Shrike
Magpie
Jay
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Hooded Crow
Goldcrest
Firecrest
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Willow Tit
Marsh Tit
Bearded Tit
Wood Lark
Sky Lark
Horned Lark
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Cetti's Warbler
Long-tailed Tit
Dusky Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Wood Warbler
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
Garden Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Whitethroat
Dartford Warbler
Sub-alpine Warbler
Grasshopper Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Reed Warbler
Waxwing
Nuthatch
Treecreeper
Wren
Starling
Dipper
Ring Ouzel
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Song Thrush
Redwing
Mistle Thrush
Spotted Flycatcher
Robin
Nightingale
Black Redstart
Redstart
Whinchat
Stonechat
Wheatear
Pied Flycatcher
Dunnock
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Yellow Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Tree Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit
Water Pipit
Chaffinch
Brambling
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Linnet
Lesser Redpoll
Mealy Redpoll
Crossbill
Bullfinch
Lapland Bunting
Snow Bunting
Yellowhammer
Reed Bunting
Corn Bunting

240 Species

+ 4 Species counted by some other authorities

Ruddy Shelduck
White-headed Duck
White Wagtail
Siberian Chiffchaff

Dusky Warbler was added to the list as recently as 14 02 2010, so there is still potential for more species to be added. Obviously a large number of the birds listed are exceedingly rare visitors to the area but is possible to see 75 spp. in a day (It was done on 14 05 2009) and over half the total list during a year. Maybe someone can tell us their big year list at Walthamstow.....or perhaps we should start keeping a cumulative one for all local birders?

I Hope this list proves useful, maybe it and the recent attention drawn by the Dusky Warbler will inspire even more people to watch the area and contribute their records and blogs to this site. (For hot news postings please use http://londonbirders.wikia.com/wiki/LatestNews or email:londonbirders@yahoogroups.co.uk )

Good birding

Paul Whiteman