Reservoir Logs - Summer 2026 round up

                                                                                  The odd couple  of Sanderling and Ringed Plover  @chris-farthing.bsky.social 

       The first Sanderling for two years and successful breeding again by Little Owls were the highlights of June and July. June also saw Coal Tit added to the year list while July brought the first Black-tailed Godwits among a nice range of waders passing through. In all, 80 species were recorded across June - six less than last year - with 90 in July, three more than in 2025. Amazingly, the year list at the end of July stands at 131 as it had the two previous years. 

                                                   The Little Owls again nested successfully @DD

        The totals came despite the on-off work on the pylons - more off than on so far this summer again - closing paths across much of the southern part of the Wetlands. The restricted access has at least hidden from visitors the impact of the record high temperatures and lack of rainfall which has seen larger numbers of birds than usual succumbing to avian botulism.  Among the victims, sadly, have been Little Grebes and Common Sandpiper.

        The hot and dry summer did, however, appear to benefit breeding with high numbers of wildfowl nesting. The exception was Barnacle Geese with no young seen for the first time in several years. In fact, the parched conditions meant the resident flock left at the end of July presumably looking for something to eat further up the Lea Valley. 

                                     Pochard with young and stray Tufted duckling pic @samodonnell.bsky.social

         But five pairs of Shelduck had broods with perhaps four young surviving the many predators until they disappeared - hopefully to the coast - towards the end of July. This summer also saw record numbers of Pochard with 25 broods counted compared to 13 last year and just five in 2024. Survival rates were, as usual, dire with those lasting to near-maturity scarcely reaching double figures. Tufted Duck broods at 43 have also easily surpassed last year's 30 figure at the end of July with new families still appearing. One pair of Gadwall also bred. 

        Both Teal and Shoveler - probably failed breeders elsewhere - began arriving back in small numbers from mid-June. Much less expected was the appearance of two Goosander, scarce enough in the winter nowadays, on No 5 on July 27th before relocating to KGV Reservoir. No one can remember a July record before but it seems as if the hot, dry summer has encouraged an early nationwide movement from their breeding quarters. 

                          Two Great White Egrets were seen over the summer @samodonnell25.bsky.social

           A count found 31 Little Egrets and 19 Grey Herons nests on the islands of No 1, 2 and 3. It may not be too many years before Great White Egrets join the heronry but, in the meantime, the only records were single birds on June 2nd and July 14th. 

                                       Marsh Harrier remain scarce visitors pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

        The stand-out raptor of the summer was a female-type Marsh Harrier picked up by SD circling over the south side on July 16th. Red Kites continue to be seen more frequently with records on at least six days in June, including two on the 12th and 21st, and on three days in July. As recently as 2024, there was only a single record from each month. Hunting Hobby were also more regular than last year with records on six days in June and again three in July.  

                                        Early July was good for Black-tailed Godwits pic @ivorh.bsky.social 

        

        Twelve species of wader - the same as last summer - were seen across the two months although as the drought left plenty of shorebird-friendly edges around the reservoirs perhaps more might have been expected. The highlight was the first Sanderling since 2024 which arrived on Lockwood in the company of a Ringed Plover - which stayed for two days - on July 19th.  July also saw a nice run of Black-tailed Godwits with the first flock of seven seen flying south by DB and IH on July 1st before single birds feeding on the south side on the 3rd and 12th.  Pic (below) @samodonnell.bsky.social  

                         
       Oystercatchers were regular and noisy visitors with records on four days in June and two in July. The first Lapwings of the 'autumn' were two on June 14th with singles on July 11th and 22nd, three on the 14th and four on the 12th. It seems as if Little Ringed Plover may have attempted to breed somewhere close to the Wetlands as birds were seen on five days in early June but not again until July 22nd.  

                                                     Redshank were frequent visitors pic @MLP                          

        Among the less routine waders were Curlew on June 17th and Greenshank on July 14th and 30th while the only Dunlin was a very tame juvenile on July 27th & 28th. There was, however, a good showing from Redshank with two on June 21st, singles regularly from July on 8th to the 23rd, two on the 17th and three on the 13th. The first returning Common Sandpiper was seen on June 19th with numbers building to a peak  of ten on July 21st. Green Sandpipers were seen on July 2nd and 13th with two on the 13th. 

                                        Green Sandpiper on the Coppermill weir pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social 

       Common Terns continued to grace the Wetlands but unfortunately, after all the young were lost to gulls last year, it looked as if none even attempted to breed this summer. Only two years ago, 23 young were raised so let's hope something can be done to encourage a recovery. A juvenile Mediterranean Gull was picked out from the many young Black-heads by SD on Lockwood on July 13th and a young Yellow-legged Gull by RE the next day. 

                            Mediterranean Gull enjoying the Lockwood beach pic @samodonnell.bsky.social

          For the third consecutive year, Little Owls bred successfully at the Wetlands, raising three young. Just like last year, there was no sign of any for ten months until occasional brief glimpses were had from late May. The first confirmation of breeding came when three fledged young with their parents were seen on June 15th, almost the same date as last year. They continued to show from time to time until late July and, if past experience is any guide, will now vanish until next summer. 

                                                        Adult Little Owl hunting for prey pic @sjn  

          Several pairs of Sand Martins nested in the pipes near the Coppermill tower and south end of East Warwick while up to 300 made use of the No 1 reed bed to roost. Swifts, despite the purpose built tower and playing of their calls, still showed no interest in nesting although the reservoirs remain a major feeding area for birds from across London. On the rare overcast days this summer, hundreds fed low over the reservoirs although numbers dropped drastically by the end of July as local birds began their migration.

   

                                   Garden Warblers appear to have bred pic @samodonnell25. bsky.social 

      Good numbers of Reed Warblers, Blackcaps, Common Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs and a couple of pairs of Sedge Warblers again bred across the site.  It also looks as if both Lesser Whitethroats and Garden Warblers successfully raised young either within or on the boundaries of the Wetlands.     

                   This Coal Tit was among the summer's scarcest records pic @samodonnell.bsky.social 

        A juvenile Coal Tit, a scarce bird at the reservoirs, made an unusually extended stay from June 21st to the 27th. Single Skylarks were seen on June 19th and a very young juvenile on July 17th. July also saw the earliest migrants beginning to passing through with first Willow Warbler on July 28th - 12 days later than last year - and the first Yellow Wagtail next day.  

DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social