Brent Reservoir Birdwalk Report Sunday 14 June 2026

Highlights: Redshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk briefly at nest, 3 Common Tern nests, 3 singing Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat singing & displaying.

Twelve of us (including new participants: Elliot B., Sharan-jit G., plus Agnes K., & Ludo M.) met on Cool Oak Lane, NW9, footbridge for the regular second Sunday of the month RSPB Birdwalk, led by Bob Husband & John Colmans. The weather was warm, 24 degrees Celsius. A Redshank discovered by Bob, a little earlier, determined our first destination – the Main Hide.

Pausing only to count the Pochard (5), listen to an excited Reed Warbler & observe the Wasp nest we soon located the Redshank feeding by the muddy shore. Redshank is considered an annual visitor to the reservoir, but becoming less frequent, this sighting was the first of the year and the 100th species recorded in 2026. Two Grey-lag Geese and 127 Canada Geese congregated on the mud while at least two Great Crested Grebes sat on their precarious floating nests. The more substantial nests of Coot seemed far safer. Another pair of Great Crested Grebes chaperoned a small juvenile. Whinnying Little Grebes revealed their presence with one perched on the side of an old raft, where a lone adult Cormorant sat. A little later the Redshank alighted on an old raft preened and settled down to rest.

For the second- year nesting Black-headed Gulls (28 including 2 recently fledged juveniles) monopolised the new rafts (Main Image) restricting the available space for Common Terns (3 nests). Worryingly, we learnt that a Black-headed Gull had recently killed a Common Tern. Most of the larger gulls, 50 Herring & 12 Lesser Black-backed, gathered in the middle of the reservoir. Members who accompanied John to the smaller Heron Hide reported Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Stock Doves, another Reed Warbler and a singing Reed Bunting but not the Sedge Warbler heard earlier. Meanwhile at the Main Hide we added Pied Wagtail, Sand Martin, amongst the House Martins & Swifts, and when a flash of blue suddenly zipped along the river – Bob exclaimed ‘Kingfisher’!

The North Marsh held 33 Gadwall, 25 Tufted Duck, 22 Pochard, 5 Canada Geese, 2 Grey Heron (including a recently fledged juvenile), Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, a pair of nesting Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose and, on the far side, one of the two reported Green Sandpipers and a drake Teal first noted on the 27 May.

A Common Whitethroat sang and briefly displayed on the Dump. Adjoining the Playing Fields we identified the large clock seed head of ‘Jack go to bed by Noon’ – Goats-beard Tragopogon pratensis. Returning via Woodfield Sports Ground a Chaffinch sang from the conifers. At the Canoe Club a pair of Common Terns rested on a blue canoe the male picking up bread to feed to its mate – which she rejected.

Unfortunately, the female Sparrowhawk flew off the nest before everyone had assembled.

IMPORTANT: We do not normally reveal nesting sites. Birds of Prey are often targeted by ill-informed folk.

Species List: Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Common Swift, Feral Rock Dove, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, GREEN SANDPIPER, COMMON REDSHANK, , Common Tern, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret (Ben W. & FO’S), EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK, COMMON KINGFISHER, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Ring-necked Parakeet, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Sand Martin, Western House Martin, , Cetti’s Warbler, Common Reed Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, European Chaffinch, Reed Bunting. Total = 55 (BOURC British Birds List Updated 11 December 2025)

Also Reported: Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat. Record number of Egyptian Geese = 73 (Ben Watt).

Insects: Ball-shaped papery nest of Median Wasp (Dolichovespula media) low down in vegetation – path to Main Hide, Common Blue Damselfly. Red Admiral, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Comma, Speckled Wood and Large White Butterflies.

Next Birdwalk – 10.00am Sunday 12 July 2026. Names to Bob (020 8441 8742)
NB. Please do NOT attend events if you have cold or flu symptoms.
R. A. (Bob) Husband, RSPB Group Leader (group.rspb.org.uk/nwlondon)