REGUA meet up at the London Wetland Centre: 29 August

Rachel and I met up with our good friends Nicholas and Raquel Locke of REGUA at the London Wetland Centre yesterday, to see how some of the wetland habitats and infrastructure created at this excellent reserve might be adapted for the REGUA wetland in Brazil.

This was the first time Nicholas and Raquel had been to the London Wetland Centre but in just a few hours we managed to sketch out several ideas for REGUA, including a new air-conditioned viewing tower, a new hide, boardwalks, islands with muddy edges for rails and waders, new reedbeds and maybe even creating some wet grassland at REGUA.

We also managed to squeeze in a little birding. Avian highlights were 1 Hobby hunting over the Grazing Marsh, 2 Common Sandpiper on the Wader Scrape, several Sand Martin, and good numbers of Common Teal, Northern Shoveler and Northern Lapwing. A fantastic female Wasp Spider near the Peacock Tower was my first ever sighting of this Continental species - first recorded in England in the 1920’s and spreading across southern England.

Female Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi, London Wetland Centre, 29 August 2016

Got home late evening after a four hour meal, where we were joined by another good friend Andrew Proudfoot, to find a superb Vestal Rhodometra sacraria in the living room (photographed this afternoon) - fantastic!

The Vestal Rhodometra sacraria, Worcester Park, 30 August 2016 - the first record for the garden of this immigrant species

London Wetland Centre: 17 April

A notebook entry this post. Had a Wader Quest trustee meeting at the WWT London Wetland Centre today. Before the meeting, Twitched the male Ring Ouzel feeding out in the open near the visitor centre, and also managed to see it again from the window of the meeting room. The kind of trustee meetings I like!

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London Wetland Centre: 14 February

Visited the London Wetland Centre this afternoon with Pete, Jaffa, Helen and Rachel. Birding was leisurely at best but in just a few hours we still managed 1 Bittern (Reservoir Lagoon), 2m Pintail (Grazing Marsh and Reservoir Lagoon), 6 (4m, 2f) Mandarin over, 41 Eurasian Wigeon (inc. 39 on Grazing Marsh), 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk over, 1 Common Snipe over, 1 Pied Wagtail, c70 Northern Lapwing (Main Lake), lots of Northern Shoveler (mainly Reservoir Lagoon) and lots Tufted Duck (including some males displaying).

Aberrant Moorhen

Spent a few hours this afternoon at the London Wetland Centre with Rachel. Rather quiet with 2 Common Tern, c30 Sand Martin around the artificial next bank, 1 Barn Swallow, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 2(H) Reed Warbler, 2 Redshank, 10 Northern Lapwing (including 1 with a chick and 4 on nests), 2 Little Grebe (including 1 on a nest), 3m Northern Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, and quite a few Common Teal and Tufted Duck remaining.

This interesting aberrant adult Common Moorhen with no red pigment was wandering around in World Wetlands. Check out the complete yellow bill and bright greenish legs with no red base to the tibia. The bird was repeatedly chased away by the 'normal' moorhens. This is actually the second 'yellow-billed' moorhen I've seen at the London Wetland Centre. My notes from 31 July 2005 record "1 with complete yellow bill and browner on back than nearby normal plumaged birds".

Aberrant Common Moorhen

What is 'normal' anyway?

Weirdo!

Common Chiffchaff

Flowering plants included a few Snake's Head Fritillary Fritillaria meleagris, Cowslip Primula veris, Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris and Cuckoo Flower Cardamine pratensis.

Snake's Head Fritillary Fritillaria meleagris

Cowslip Primula veris

A quiet afternoon at the London Wetland Centre

A few hours at the London Wetland Centre this afternoon produced 1m Pintail, 1 Shelduck, 50 Wigeon, 40 Gadwall, lots of Teal, and small numbers of Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Pochard, c30 Lapwing, 2 (1m, 1f) Stonechat, 1 Goldcrest, 1m Sparrowhawk, 1 redpoll sp. over, 2 Cetti's Warbler H, 1 Grey Wagtail H, and this tame Robin that had no problem whatsoever perching on my hand and taking pieces of my Nature Valley Crunch bar. The kids walking past loved it and even had a go feeding the bird (using up the rest of my snack!). It's always great to see kids connecting with nature.

Check out these photos of a Japanese Robin that turned up in Beijing, China yesterday. What an awesome bird!

A quiet afternoon at Barnes

Spent the afternoon at the London Wetland Centre for a change of scenery. With light northerlies and prolonged sunny periods, things were fairly quiet. The highlights were 1 Common Sandpiper and 3 Common Tern on the Main Lake, and 1 Ringed Plover and a pair of nesting Little Ringed Plover on the Wader Scrape. About 25 Sand Martin (including several visiting the artificial nest bank), c15 House Martin, c30 Common Swift, 5 Swallow and a Sparrowhawk were also seen, as well as many displaying Lapwing and a Black-headed Gull on a nest (I've not noticed them nesting here before). Still good numbers of Tufted Duck around with a few Pochard and numerous pairs of Gadwall. 1 Reed Warbler and 3 Cetti's Warblers were both heard only.

Adult summer Common Tern

First London Wild Bird Watch

With a low pressure still sitting over the UK I simply couldn't muster the enthusiasm for the moor today, so instead it was off to the London Wetland Centre for the first London Wild Bird Watch - basically a smaller version of the Birdfair. Managed to meet some interesting people and caught Simon King's talk about the Peregrines breeding on Charing Cross Hospital nearby (check out the live cam here). Also tried out the new Swarovski EL 32 Swarovision bins, which are awesome, even with my other half yelling "put them down now" in my ear! It will be interesting to see how the London Wild Bird Watch develops and it could even be worth having a REGUA stand here in the future.

A quick look at the reserve produced a couple of year ticks in the form of 2 Common Tern and a Reed Warbler (heard), along with 2-3 Little Ringed Plover, 1 female Northern Wheatear, 12+ Sand Martin, 1-2 Swallow, 7 Redshank, 2 Common Snipe, 3 Cetti's Warbler (heard), just a single Blackcap and 1 Sparrowhawk. The wader scrape has plenty of muddy edges and looks really good for migrant waders at the moment. On route a probable Red Kite was seen briefly from the car drifting west over the A3 at Robin Hood roundabout.

The wader scrape at the London Wetland Centre

Simon King talking about the Charing Cross Hospital Peregrines

Winter at the London Wetland Centre

A quiet afternoon with cold north-westerlies produced 2 drake Pintail, 5 Shelduck, 56 Wigeon, 5 Pochard, 30 Gadwall, 1 Water Rail, 17+ Common Snipe, 15+ Lapwing, 2-3 Stonechat, 15+ Lesser Redpoll, 14+ Siskin and 5 Redwing. Good numbers of Great Tit and Blue Tit were seen, but 4 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Robin, a few Blackbird were the only other passerines of note. Many of the smaller pools are partially frozen and although there were plenty of Teal around there seemed to be less wildfowl than usual, with just small numbers of Northern Shoveler and Tufted Duck. There was also a pair of Mandarin on the Main Lake, which I guess could be from the collection?

Migrant shortage

A Reed Warbler (heard only) and an increase in Sand Martins (21+) were the only new arrivals at the London Wetland Centre today. No Swallow influx, Yellow Wag or Common Whitethroat yet. 1 Little Ringed Plover is still on the wader scrape along with 8 Redshank and wildfowl have more or less cleared out with only 32 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 13 Gadwall, 18 Pochard and 119 Tufted Duck remaining. Others seen include 2 Cetti's Warblers (photo), 9 Common Snipe and 1 Peregrine over.

LRP

1 Little Ringed Plover on the wader scrape (finally), 1 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin and 7 Redshank seen today in a quick look at the London Wetland Centre. At least 1 pair of Lapwing are on eggs now as well.

Hello hirundines!

With light southerlies today and migrants turning up everywhere, I was hoping for something a little more interesting at Barnes this afternoon. An Osprey perhaps? Okay, just a Wheatear would be nice! I had to settle for 2 House Martins and a Barn Swallow over, which were my first of the year, but not much else. I missed a Little Ringed Plover yet again, but had 4+ Sand Martins, 8 Redshank, 5 Chiffchaff and 3 Common Snipe and the summer plumage Water Pipit was still on the Main Lake. 9 Wigeon, 24 Gadwall, 19 Pochard, 49 Shoveler and 30 Teal are still hanging on, but Tufted Duck numbers remain fairly high with 145 present. Also had extremely close views of 2 Water Voles - presumably some of the reintroduced animals.

Just found out that an Osprey and 2 Curlew flew over Beddington Farmlands today - damn! Click here for some excellent vis-mig shots.

A quiet day at Barnes

A day of light westerlies at the London Wetland Centre revealed few migrants, only 5 Sand Martin, 5 Redshank, 2 Willow Warbler and 3 Chiffchaff, all previously reported. A summer plumage Water Pipit brightened things up a bit and 4+ Common Snipe, 20 Lapwing, 3 Cetti's Warbler and a Reed Bunting were the best of the rest. Duck numbers are dropping but 12 Wigeon, 20 Gadwall, 15 Pochard, 96 Shoveler, 50+ Teal and 180 Tufted Duck were noted. Many of the Lapwing are paired up and aggressively defending their territories against passing Carrion Crows. Had a double choc cookie from the cafe - it was naff! Stick to the Choc Muffins, which are ace.

More of the same

After the rain of the last few days, water levels at the London Wetland Centre have risen again, covering the fresh mud recently exposed on the Wader Scrape. 2 Dunlin on the Main Lake were a sign of movement but other than that it was business as usual. Duck numbers remain about the same with 3 Pintail, 20 Gadwall, 31 Wigeon, 24 Pochard, 118 Shoveler, 130+ Teal and 186 Tufted Duck counted. 1 Bittern showed well on the Reservoir Lagoon and 21 Common Snipe (photo), 32 Lapwing, 1 Water Rail, 10 Fieldfare and 6 Redwing were the only other notables.

The end of winter?

Another spring-like day and another scout around the London Wetland Centre. Since Monday the water level on the Wader Scrape has been lowered revealing a good expanse of fresh mud that is really pulling in the birds (top photo). This pool alone produced 2 Jack Snipe, 6 Common Snipe, 1 Water Pipit, 5 Pintail (second photo), 102 Shoveler, 110 Teal, 6 Gadwall and a Shelduck. Surely an LRP is due here any day now? Other birds seen around the reserve include 33 Wigeon, 10 Pochard, 127 Tufted Duck, another 20 Shoveler, 3 more Common Snipe, 37 Lapwing, 1 Redwing, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Reed Bunting and 1 redpoll sp. over. With reports of a Willow Warbler heard singing from the car park over the last few days, it feels like spring is finally here, but maybe the pair of nest-building Long-tailed Tits seen today were getting just a little overexcited - surely they are forgetting the late winter freeze that's just around the corner?

Sun is shinin' in the sky...

Woke up today to some freak weather conditions - blue sky, sun and no wind - so I quickly forgot any ideas about working and rushed off to the London Wetland Centre. No hoped for early migrants materialized (a Little Ringed Plover was at Staines Reservoir two days ago), but a Bittern showed well for a minute or so on the Main Lake and 1 Water Pipit, 8+ Common Snipe, 24 Lapwing and a single Redwing were also seen (and a Cetti's Warbler heard). Duck numbers were about the same, with 2 Pintail, 29 Wigeon, 15 Gadwall, 54 Shoveler, 20 Pochard, 130 Tufted Duck and at least 100 Teal counted.

I'm really getting to like this place, despite the fact that there are usually screaming kids everywhere and during half-term it's like being at a mother and child social gathering in Starbucks. Still, if its a choice between dog walkers and kids, I'd choose the kids any day. This Grey Heron fishing right next the path certainly didn't mind em!

London Wetland Centre

A few hours at the London Wetland Centre this afternoon produced 1 Bittern showing fairly well on the Sheltered Lagoon (though still not close enough for a decent photo), 3 Pintail, 1 Shelduck, 34 Wigeon, 35 Gadwall, 48 Shoveler, 185 Tufted Duck, 100+ Teal, 89 Lapwing, 3 Common Snipe and 2 Sparrowhawk.

The Grazing Marsh from the Peacock Tower

London Wetland Centre

I dropped by the WWT London Wetland Centre this afternoon to try and catch up with Bittern. First stop was the Dulverton Hide - I opened the hide door, sat down, opened the window and there siting on top of a clump of reeds was a Bittern in full view! Unfortunately it was far too distant for a photo. Good numbers of duck were also seen including about 200 Teal, 30 Shoverler, 20 Wigeon, 6 Pintail (inc. 3 drakes), 20 Gadwall and 1 Shelduck. Also noted were 2 Water Rail, 7 Common Snipe, 40 Lapwing, 1 Kingfisher and 1 Sparrowhawk.