The ponds in The Hamptons estate have over the years become quite a sanctuary for various wildlife. In addition of our fish population, we are seeing a wide variety of land and water birds, some which you would not expect from urban south London. Originally a site of a disused water treatment plant, The Hamptons has become a growing success in biodiversity.
Local ornithologist Bob Smith has been studying the birds on the estate for several years now and has spotted 69 species of birds on the estate. Bob has kindly shared his insights and observations on the wetlands with us in his own words.
- Above the Water: April to July
Forty four species were seen during the period. The Mute swan pair hatched seven young around about May 6tt and to date five were present. There were six pairs each of Coot and Moorhen. By May 25th there were 24 Coot young.
Continue reading → - Above the Water: January to March
Water Rail: Photo by Bill Reid
Twenty-one visits were made and thirty-five species were seen. Coot and Moorhen numbers remained fairly constant with 12 and 13 seen respectively.
Continue reading → - Above the Water: July to October
35 visits were made during the period and 40 species were observed.
On the pools the two adult Mute Swans remained. There were 12 young Moorhens and 5 young Coots. Mallard numbers dwindled from 27 in August to two by the end of October. Up to 2 Herons and a single Cormorant were regular.
Continue reading → - Above the Water: April to June
Reed Warbler – Photo by Dan Burgess
Forty two species were seen during the period. Thirty six visits were made. Up to two Cormorants and two Herons were seen.
Continue reading → - Above the Water: January to March
Water Rail. Photograph by Bill Reid
Forty one visits were made between January 1st and March 31st. Forty four species were seen during the period.
The most exciting observation was a Green Sandpiper briefly on February 10th. This was the first observation for six years.
Continue reading → - Above the Water: September to December
Reed Bunting, taken by Bill Reid
Sixty three visits were made and forty nine species were recorded in the pools complex during the period September 1st to December 27th.
Pride of place was a Cetti’s Warbler seen briefly on 13th October- a site record. Other highlights include two Stonechats on October 15th and seven Fieldfare on November 24th. A Peregrine Falcon used the pylon at the pools end as a hunting site.A Water Rail was heard calling on December 15th.
Continue reading → - Above the Water: April to July
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The site was visited on fifty days during the period April 1st to July 30th and 52 species were seen including birds flying over. Highlights were six resident Reed Warblers, a pair of Reed Buntings, a Sedge Warbler in July, Lesser Whitethroats (on passage), two Whitethroat territories, two Chiffchaff territories, Willow warblers (on passage) and several records of Peregrine Falcons. A Nuthatch was unusual. - Above the Water: Spring Update
47 species were observed during an observation period of 40 days. Water levels were high during the period especially the north pool.A Little Grebe appeared on February 29th and was present into April. on the end pool but probably went as the water level dropped. Two Herons and a Cormorant were present on many occasions.
The Swans started nesting on February 29th and by May 8th had Seven cygnets. Other than Mallards the only other duck was a drake Tufted on January 21st.
Two pairs of Canada Geese attempted to get onto the pools but were seen off by the cob Swan. However one pair nested on the side of the channel.
A Water Rail was heard on three occasions during the winter. On March 11th a Buzzard flew east and a Peregine Falcon flew over on January 23rd. A Kingfisher was seen occasionally during the winter. There were plenty small birds in the shrubbery including up to 100 Redwing, 20 Greenfinch, 10 Goldfinch and a lone Redpoll.
A pair of Reed Buntings were around from January 15th Into April. A Blackcap singing on March 14th may have been a wintering bird. The first summer visitor Chiffchaff was on March 17th.
Continue reading → - Above the Water: Summer Update
Kingfisher
I visited the Hamptons on 31 days between January and March. 51 species were reported. It was generally a quiet period on the pools with the usual Coots, Moorhens, Mallards and Mute Swan pair.
By the end of the period up to six pairs of Coots were in territory and two were nest building by March 19th. There are about the same number of Moorhen territories. The Mute Swans were also nest building. A pair of Gadwall were present from the turn of the year until February 20th.
Continue reading → - Above the Water: Birds on The Hamptons
Peregrine Falcon
I have been watching the birds on the Hampton’s Estate since its inception in 2007. I watch the pools and the scrubland regularly – usually three times a week. During 2012, I made 130 visits and recorded 68 species in the area either flying over or present in the bushes, scrub, reeds or on the water.
Highlights were Wigeon, Lapwing, Peregrine, Buzzard, Red Kite and Water Rail.
Included here is a summary for each season: Winter 1 (January to end of March), Spring (April to end of June), Summer (July to end of September), Autumn (October and November), Winter 2 (December)
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