Birds of Wanstead Park
The bird historically associated with Wanstead Park is the heron. It is suggested that herons were brought to the area by Sir John Heron in the 16th Century to mark his name. The bird figures in the borough's arms and is still quite a familiar motif in the area. They once nested on the trees of Lincoln Island, but steadily decreased in number when the Walthamstow Reservoirs became more attractive to the birds. However, non breeding birds are still a common sight, particularly on the Ornamental Waters.
The birds that have been sighted in and from Wanstead Park comprise almost all of the species that have been recorded from all of southern Epping Forest! A full list with details of past and present status is available here.
In the list below, those species shown in bold are thought to have bred in Wanstead Park, those in italics are escapes, infrequent visitors, or uncommon now.
Common Name
|
Status
|
Mute Swan | Breeds on all lakes (photo) |
Black Swan | One arrived on Heronry Pond on Nov 5th 2006, then on to Ornamental Waters. (photo) |
Greylag Goose | Occasional - perhaps strays from Alexandra Lake on Wanstead Flats |
Canada Goose | Common (photo) |
Wigeon | Uncommon (photo) |
Gadwall | A common winter visitor (photo) |
Teal | An occasional visitor, increasing in recent years |
Mallard | Breeds on all lakes - though much less common now. (photo) |
Garganey | One male on Heronry Pond on 3 April 2002 (photo) |
Shoveler | Common winter visitor (photo) |
Red-crested Pochard | Has occurred, probably as an escape, in Wanstead Park |
Pochard | Fairly common (photo) |
Tufted Duck | Common, rarely may breed on any of the lakes (photo) |
Mandarin Duck | Rare; a pair on OW on 15/04/12 (photo) |
Goldeneye | Rare; the only record is of a female on Heronry Pond on 14/15th November 2009 |
Smew | Very uncommon; has occured when lakes are part-frozen |
Goosander | A pair on Perch Pond on 30 December 2008 |
Ruddy Duck | Became increasingly common and was seen on Shoulder of Mutton and Heronry Ponds (photo). Not seen since 2006 when birds were culled throughout Britain |
Little Grebe | Breeds on Shoulder of Mutton, Perch and Heronry ponds and the Ornamental Waters (photo) |
Great Crested Grebe | Breeds on Shoulder of Mutton, Perch and Heronry ponds and the Ornamental Waters (photo) |
Black-necked Grebe | One on Shoulder of Mutton Pond at same time as Gannet |
Gannet | Once on Shoulder of Mutton Pond after severe weather |
Cormorant | Common (photo) |
Little Egret | Has been seen by River Roding; two on Ornamental Waters on 29 Jan 2002; one in gap between Lincoln/Rook Island, Wanstead Park, for a few days in early September 2008; up to 7 in 2009 |
Grey Heron | Common (photo) |
Sparrowhawk | Common |
Buzzard | Occasionally seen passing overhead |
Kestrel | Common |
Hobby | Has bred |
Water Rail | Infrequently in the Dell and by the west end of the Perch Pond. In Perch Pond on 1st January 2006 and again on 10 February 2006. (photo); 3 January 2007 on Perch Pond; from 16 Nov to at least 24 Dec 2008 on Perch Pond. One present in Dell during winter of 2009/10, still being seen mid-March |
Moorhen | Breeds on all lakes (photo) |
Coot | Breeds on all lakes (photo) |
Lapwing | Occasionally seen passing overhead |
Woodcock | Has been seen over Warren Wood and Lincoln Island - but not for years |
Common Sandpiper | Occasional passage birds - particularly by Heronry Pond; flock of 6 on 20 July 2007 |
Black-headed Gull | Common (photo) |
Common Gull | Common |
Lesser Black-backed Gull | Uncommon (photo) |
Common Tern | Two or three use the Ornamental Waters or Perch Pond for feeding. |
Feral Pigeon | Usually only at edge of Park near Northumberland Avenue (photo) |
Stock Dove | Common |
Wood Pigeon | Common (photo) |
Collared Dove | Common, but in small numbers |
Cuckoo | Usually heard for a few days each Spring, but decreasingly so. |
Little Owl | First seen in the Park in the winter of 2009/10 |
Tawny Owl | Less often heard in recent years |
Swift | Common |
Kingfisher | Has bred successfully in one site for some years. A second nest site was located in 2002. Two birds, possibly three, seen on Heronry Pond 1st Jan 2006. (photo) |
Green Woodpecker | Common |
Great Spotted Woodpecker | Common, heard drumming from Christmas onwards in 2005. |
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | Uncommon. One reported in February 2006, and a few more reports in early 2010 |
Skylark | One or two over the Plain |
Sand Martin | Seen on passage, usually over Shoulder of Mutton or Heronry Ponds |
Swallow | Small numbers |
House Martin | Much less common than in the past when many nested locally |
Meadow Pipit | Uncommon |
Yellow Wagtail | Uncommon |
Grey Wagtail | Fairly common |
Pied Wagtail | Common (photo) |
Wren | Common |
Dunnock | Common |
Robin | Common (photo) |
Wheatear | Occasional on passage on the Plain |
Blackbird | Common |
Fieldfare | Varies from winter to winter |
Song Thrush | Still present, but less common |
Redwing | Varies from winter to winter |
Mistle Thrush | Common |
Sedge Warbler | Rarely heard in Spring - one by Shoulder of Mutton on 2 June 2002 |
Reed Warbler | Occasional. One singing persistently for some weeks by Shoulder of Mutton in 2010 |
Blackcap | Common |
Garden Warbler | One reported most summers from River Wood near Roding |
Lesser Whitethroat | Uncommon |
Whitethroat | Small numbers |
Chiffchaff | Common |
Willow Warbler | Were common, however few were heard in 2002 and subsequent years. A few heard from early April 2006 seems promising. |
Goldcrest | Common |
Firecrest | Rare. One in Reservoir Wood on 15 November 2009 |
Spotted Flycatcher | Uncommon |
Long-tailed Tit | Common (photo) |
Blue Tit | Common |
Great Tit | Common |
Coal Tit | Fairly common, though decreasing |
Nuthatch | Much less common recently. |
Treecreeper | Much less common recently; a bird seen in Reservoir Wood during November 2009 |
Jay | Common |
Magpie | Common (photo) |
Jackdaw | Increasingly common, up to thirteen seen in the Aldersbrook area in 2001, approx 50 in 2006 (photo) |
Carrion Crow | Common (photo) |
Starling | Common (photo) |
House Sparrow | Sometimes seen near park perimeters, particularly by Northumberland Avenue |
Tree Sparrow | Used to breed in old sewage works site and was occasionaly seen in the Park - but no longer |
Chaffinch | Fairly common |
Brambling | Has been seen in gardens adjacent to the Park |
Greenfinch | Less common in recent years |
Goldfinch | Less common in recent years; however, more frequently seen in 2008 |
Siskin | Some winters provide good sized flocks, particularly by Perch Pond and Dell; 50 or so seen frequently in Nov/Dec. 2008 |
Linnet | Uncommon |
Redpoll | Uncommon |
Bullfinch | Less common in recent years |
Yellowhammer | Uncommon |
Reed Bunting | Uncommon |