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Dartford Warbler at Tottenham Marshes

Last updated on: 07 January 2025

Tottenham Marshes is one of our local sites and Richard, our walks leader, has included it in the past in our Walks programme. The star bird used to be the nesting Peregrines but these now nest elsewhere locally but are occasionally seen, usually perched on a pylon.

Monthly bird surveys have been conducted at Tottenham Marshes for many years, organised by David Cottridge and the Friends of Tottenham Marshes and on the last Bird Survey on December 29th 2024, we were excited to glimpse a Dartford Warbler – never recorded before on the surveys!

Glimspe of Dartford Warbler in dead cow parsley stems growing through bramble
Dartford Warbler glimpse
Dartford Warbler in flight - from left side with with closed wings
Dartford Warbler in flight

We briefly saw a small, dark bird with a very long cocked tail, so distinctive, it had to be a Dartford Warbler!

Dartford Warbler with spread tail & wings
Dartford Warbler with spread tail & wings by Ivor Hewstone

Dartford Warblers seem to be in more evidence than usual around London currently, with long-stayers at Rainham Marshes and Hampstead Heath but still an unusual bird for our area.

Dartford Warbler - right side view in old cow parsley
Dartford Warbler – in old cow parsley
Dartford Warbler from left side, perched with tail slightly spread
Dartford Warbler, perched with tail slightly spread

A group of us returned on Friday 3rd January 2025, when there was a clear blue sky and the Dartford Warbler revealed itself by calling and flitting around the vegetation on West Marsh.

Many thanks to Ivor Hewstone who with his long lens and skill captured a variety of images of this delightful bird which I have included here (all taken on 3rd January 2025).

Dartford Warbler from left side with tail cocked
Dartford Warbler showing its wonderful tail cocked at 90 degrees!
Dartford warbler with lower cocked tail
Dartford Warbler – lower cocked tail
Dartford Warbler in flight wih spread feathers
Dartford Warbler in flight

There is a detailed description of the finding and photographing of this bird posted on our Facebook page but as not everyone uses Facebook, I thought it would be good to record the sighting on our website.

Here is a link to the Facebook post

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