Birds of Wanstead Flats
The birds that have been sighted on, from and around Wanstead Flats are listed here.
Those shown bold are thought to breed on Wanstead Flats, those in italics are escapes, infrequent visitors, or uncommon now.
For listing from 1974-1980 click hereFor comparative reports for 1980 and 2000 click here top
| Little Grebe | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Great Crested Grebe | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Cormorant | Occasionally uses Alexandra Lake and Jubilee Pond |
| Grey Heron | Often seen flying over; occasionaly by lakes |
| Egyptian Goose | Escaped birds have lived on Alexandra Lake |
| Canada Goose | Up to 200 on and around lakes |
| Greylag Goose | On Alexandra Lake, has bred |
| Barnacle Goose | Sometimes on Alexandra Lake |
| Mute Swan | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Mallard | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Teal | Infrequent visitor until about 2005, then up to 14 seen on numerous occasions during the winter and a pair in spring of 2006. |
| Gadwall | Fairly common in winter on Alexandra Lake |
| Wigeon | Uncommon |
| Shoveler | Fairly common mainly in winter on Alexandra Lake |
| Red-crested Pochard | An escape has been seen on Alexandra Lake |
| Pochard | Sometimes seen on Alexandra Lake |
| Tufted Duck | Has bred on Alexandra Lake |
| Goldeneye | Has been seen on Alexandra Lake |
| Ruddy Duck | A pair bred and had three young on Alexandra Lake in 2001 |
| Sparrowhawk | Common |
| Buzzard | Has been sighted overhead |
| Hobby | Uses Wanstead Flats for feeding |
| Kestrel | Common |
| Moorhen | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Coot | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Lapwing | Sometimes seen flying over |
| Common Sandpiper | Occurs infrequently by Alexandra Lake |
| Black-headed Gull | Common - hundreds at times on the playing fields |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | Fairly Common |
| Mediterranean Gull | Occasional individuals |
| Common Gull | Common - slightly less numerous than Black-headed Gulls |
| Herring Gull | Increasing in small numbers |
| Common Tern | Occasionaly uses Alexandra Lake |
| Wood Pigeon | Common |
| Feral Pigeon | Common, particularly on car park by Alexandra Lake |
| Collared Dove | Common |
| Cuckoo | Usually heard for a few days each Spring |
| Tawny Owl | Less common now - has bred in adjacent Manor Park and City of London Cemeteries |
| Swift | Common, breed in nearby Wanstead Park Avenue |
| Kingfisher | Seen occasionaly on Alexandra Lake |
| Wryneck | The only record is of a bird on Wanstead Flats in September 2010 |
| Green Woodpecker | Sometimes seen and heard |
| Greater Spotted Woodpecker | Sometimes seen and heard |
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | Uncommon, but did breed in 2010 |
| Skylark | Common with good breeding success |
| Sand Martin | Passage in Spring and Autumn |
| Swallow | Passage in Spring and Autumn with some during the Summer feeding over Flats |
| House Martin | Much less common now; used to breed on many houses adjacent. |
| Meadow Pipit | Small numbers in winter and summer |
| Yellow Wagtail | Uncommon =- more often seen or heard flying over |
| Grey Wagtail | Occasional by Alexandra Lake |
| Pied Wagtail | Breeds by Alexandra Lake |
| Wren | Common |
| Dunnock | Common in gardens adjacent to Flats |
| Sedge Warbler | Occasionaly heard singing in Spring from Alexandra Lake |
| Blackcap | Common; seen throughout winter in gardens adjacent to Flats |
| Lesser Whitethroat | Uncommon |
| Whitethroat | Fairly common |
| Dartford Warbler | The first record of this species was one bird on 31st October. |
| Willow Warbler | Uncommon |
| Chiffchaff | Common in Wanstead Park, gardens and on islands of Alexandra Lake |
| Firecrest | Has been seen in gardens adjacent to Wanstead Flats |
| Goldcrest | Fairly common in gardens adjacent to Flats mainly in Winter |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Occasional - less common now. |
| Whinchat | Small numbers in Summer on Wanstead Flats |
| Stonechat | Small numbers on Wanstead Flats |
| Wheatear | Passage in Spring and Autumn |
| Ring Ouzel | One or two reports of birds on migration on Wanstead Flats |
| Robin | Common |
| Fieldfare | Fairly common in some winters |
| Blackbird | Common |
| Redwing | Fairly common in some winters |
| Song Thrush | Less common now |
| Mistle Thrush | Common |
| Long-tailed Tit | Common |
| Coal Tit | Fairly common in gardens adjacent to Flats |
| Blue Tit | Common |
| Great Tit | Common |
| Nuthatch | Uncommon |
| Treecreeper | Uncommon |
| Yellowhammer | Uncommon |
| Reed Bunting | Uncommon |
| Chaffinch | Fairly common |
| Greenfinch | Less common now |
| Siskin | Has been seen by Alexandra Lake, but rare |
| Goldfinch | Less common now |
| Linnet | Uncommon |
| Redpoll | Uncommon |
| Bullfinch | Less common now |
| House Sparrow | Common |
| Starling | Common - sometimes in hundreds |
| Jay | Common |
| Magpie | Common |
| Jackdaw | Increasing, particularly around Alexandra Lake |
| Carrion Crow | Common - over a hundred may be counted at times |