Latest Sightings on Marshes and Reservior

Pete Lambert wrote:
Friday 28 January 2011
Another cold and cloudy day.  Disturbed a female goosander from just north of the Sandpiper Bridge, then saw a pair of shoveler in the channel as I walked down to Green Bridge, disturbed a little egret and  saw 12 teal.  Female reed bunting on top of tree at Wild Marsh East – these are still quite scarce at the moment.  Standing on Green Bridge checking the edges, I heard a water rail squeel north of me, but I couldn’t find it.  A pheasant shot across the channel to East Marsh but too quickly to see if it was a male or female.  Michael phoned to say he was coming over, so we agreed to meet at Stonebridge Lock  At 8.49am, just north of the Lock, I looked up to see a buzzard soaring west of the Lee Navigation.  May have been west of Clendish Marsh, rather than over the Marsh itself, but I soon lost sight of it, and despite checking the sky couldn’t relocate it for when Michael arrived a few minutes later.  We did find a goldcrest at the Car Park, with perhaps a second one chasing it.

The walk round Clendish Marsh produced very little – a sparrowhawk soaring over Tottenham west of us, and a grey wagtail in Pymmes Brook.  On to Wild Marsh West, where as well as 2 grey wagtails in Pymmes Brook, there was also a female teal feeding north of the Gas Bridge – never seen one there before.  No sign of any green sandpiper there though.  But then, when we walked down the towpath from the Chalk Bridge, a green sandpiper called and flew west – it looked like it went down at Pymmes Brook.  Michael disturbed a little egret at the East Marsh channel and then I left for home.  Walking down the footpath from the Marsh to Blackhorse Lane, I was surprised to hear a curlew call.  Looked across Lockwood Reservoir – nothing.  Then it called again, and this time came up over the bank of the reservoir.  It was flying north, so I stood watching until it flew on and over Wild Marsh East – not often I record a curlew at the Marsh.

Sunday 30 January 2011
I spent the day over Walthamstow Reservoir (where the eider – see attached photo – and the 2 scaup were still present) but from the Banbury Reservoir, I saw a peregrine falcon fly south and then circle over Wild Marsh West.  It flew back north but I lost sight of it.  Maybe one of the pair that have been seen near the Waste Disposal chimney at Angel Road.  Terry sent me an email later to say he’d seen a redpoll at Wild Marsh East that day, which I think is the first record this year, as well as a reed bunting.

Monday 31 January 2011
A bit brighter today and a nice colection of winter visitors seen.  Highlight was my first close view of the water rail this year.  Leaving the Marsh over the Green Bridge at 10am, I searched the edges again for a glimpse of this shy bird, only to find it under my feet, so to speak, pecking around at the bottom of the willow just north east of the bridge.  Also saw a pair of goosander, pair of shoveler, a female gadwall, a green sandpiper and saw one chiffchaff and heard a second singing briefly.  On the non-bird side, I saw my first rabbit of 2011 on WM West.

                                     Eider on Walthamstow Reservoir