News
A duvet on legs
The warmer weather has encouraged five broods of lapwing chicks at WWT London Wetland Centre to hatch. Lapwing chick - Mike Caiden One female has three chicks which – on chillier days – huddle under her, using her
16 May 2013
Yellow Wagtails
A brief update today. Two Yellow Wagtail, male Greenland Wheatear, 7 Dunlin, 2 Little Ringed Plover and an adult female Marsh Harrier. There is of course a big selection of birds which can be seen daily around the reserve with 50+ easily achievable in hal
15 May 2013
Todays Sightings
Very quiet over the last few days but picking up today. South lake Hide will be closed for the next day or to to be re-fitted. The Lake and scrape can still be viewed from the Hogarth Hide at the at the the top of the loop way path through the collectio
15 May 2013
The elusive Cape shoveler update!
Just look at that beak! Our lone Cape shoveler duckling was graduated outside onto a grassy paddock at the beginning of last week. In just 9 days the whole group have started to shed their down and in their place feather quills are already pushing through
15 May 2013
Recent Sightings
• Main Lake - 22 shelduck, 48 tufted ducks, 3 gadwalls, 1 cormorant • Wader Marsh – 4 Shelducks • Fresh Water Lagoon - 8 tufted ducks and 2 gadwalls • Peninsula Saltmarsh – 2 ringed plover (on nest) • Peninsula Field – 1 Dunlin,
15 May 2013
Wildlife sightings for 15th May 2013
2 Shelduck - pair, wader scrape 2 Teal - pair, wader scrape 3 Redshank - wader scrape At least 6 Lapwing chicks still on the scrape, keeping low in the wind at the moment (8 confirmed yesterday). 1 Chiffchaff - singing on sheltered lagoon To allow
15 May 2013
Today's highlights
British Steel hide/estuary 37 whimbrel, 5 curlew, 12 black tailed godwit, 75 dunlin, 22 knot, 41 shelduck, 11 gadwall, 10 tufted duck, 9 little egret, peregrine, sparrowhawk. Lagoon 270 black headed gull, 12 greylag goose, 30 gadwall, 27 mallard 4
15 May 2013
Why the flamingos we keep can help those out in the wild.
A new paper out in the scientific journal "Ecology & Evolution" provides an interesting insight into how captive flamingos can help with research that ultimately benefits wetlands and wild birds. Flamingos are a flagship species for wetland conservat
14 May 2013
Sunshine at last on the nest
Today has been sunny but there is still a chilly wind from the west which has been ruffling the feathers of the birds on the nest. We saw the male bird come in this morning with a fish for his mate which she took off to eat as usual and he took his turn
14 May 2013
Water voles very active
A couple of snippets of water vole activity from this afternoon. There are two water voles very active on the visitor centre pond. the best thing is that there isn't much vegetation at the moment so they are easy to spot and they don't mind the rain!
14 May 2013
Cuckoo
First Cuckoo of the year showing well on fence posts next to the United Utilities for most of the afternoon. Great to see this increasingly rare summer migrant. This species puts our year list on 145. picture by Brian Treadwell Waders included 2 Ruff, 2
14 May 2013
Latest Sightings
A quiet start to the morning in terms of wildfowl but there are good numbers of passerines throughout the reserve. Spring Migrants & Passerines Blackcap Sedge Warbler Chiffchaff Willow Warbler Common Whitethroat Swallow House Martin Sand Martin Wheate
14 May 2013
Wildlife sightings for 14th May 2013
4 Common Tern - 2 pairs on main lake and reservoir lagoon rafts 2 Redshank - main lake, wader scrape 35+ Swift - over site 5 Swallow - main lake, grazing marsh 7 House Martin - main lake, wildside 1 Garden warbler - South route To allow the sand martins t
14 May 2013
Todays sightings
RESERVE: Pied wagtail, Wood pigeon, 2 Buzzards, Pheasant, Dunnock, Reed bunting, Cetti's, Reed & Sedge warblers, Black bird, Song thrush, Jackdaw, Crow, Blue tit, Great tit, Chaffinch, Green finch, Great Spotted woodpecker, Wren, Water voles, Water ra
14 May 2013
Out on the reserve today
Peregrine - 2 Cuckoo - 1
14 May 2013