Birdwatching at East India Dock Basin
East India Dock Basin is the last remaining section of the once grand East India Docks, famous for transporting spices from the Far East in the 1880’s. Now the site is a nature reserve and attracts birds such as Black Redstart and Kingfishers. There is a section of salt marsh which is a habitat not seen anywhere else in this stretch of the Thames. A stones throw away from Canary Wharf, the site provides breathtaking views of the Thames and the impressive O2 (Millennium Dome).
We are currently working with the London Thames Gateway Development Agency, Design for London and a range of other partners exploring opportunities for enhancing visitor facilities at East India Dock Basin, as part of the first phase of the Lea River Park. The Lea River Park is a long term initiative to deliver a network of new open space extending along the River Lea to link the Lee Valley Regional Park and Olympic Park to the Thames. For more information visit
www.myleariverpark.org
East India Dock
In August
WILDLIFE AND HABITATS
We continue our Butterfly and Dragonfly surveys to monitor their presence and numbers; Common Blue and Speckled Wood, Orange tip, Peacocks can also bee seen.
The prominent white ox eye daisy dominates the site, mixed in with vetches such as the yellow bird's foot trefoil, the prominent purple of Salsify which looks similar to Goats Beard can bee seen in the meadows.
The breeding season is under way, broods of Sand martins, Mallards, Black caps, blue and great tits, black birds, robins, to name a few, Terns have arrived and there chicks will be hatching soon. The Shelduck have also been seen fighting for Dominance over the female.
USER FORUM MEETING
The next User Forum meeting is on Wednesday 25th August at:
The Rotunda, Virginia Quay Jamestown Way, Tower Hamlets, E14,
Contact Ges Hoddinott on 020 8988 7565 for details.
VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer in the park this August at:
• 6th – 2012 Changing places, Sanding down the Jetty, painting benches on East India Dock Basin, 10am
• 11th – Summer Glow, Ponds and painting on Bow Creek, 10am.
If you would like to volunteer in the Lee Valley Park, please contact our Volunteers Officer, David Hurtley, on 01992 709867
Sand Martin
East India Dock may be small, but it is a haven for birds. Scaup and Snipe were seen in the winter months, the first Sand Martins arrived in March, Grey Herons and Cormorants are frequently seen on the Tern rafts and Kingfishers are spotted regularly on and around the north shore in the north-west corner, so keep an eye out for a flash of iridescent blue. The list below includes just some of the birds seen so far this year:
Bird Species seen at East India Dock Basin
|
Arctic Tern |
Long-tailed Tit |
|
Black Headed Gull |
Magpie |
|
Black Redstart |
Mallard |
|
Blackbird |
Moorhen |
|
Blackcap |
Mute Swan |
|
Blue Tit |
Nightingale |
|
Canada Goose |
Oyster Catchers |
|
Chiff Chaff |
Peregrine Falcon |
|
Collard Dove |
Pied Wagtail |
|
Common Gull |
Pochard |
|
Common Sandpiper |
Redshank |
|
Common Tern |
Reed Bunting |
|
Coot |
Reed Warbler |
|
Cormorant |
Ring Necked Parakeet |
|
Crow |
Robin |
|
Dunnock |
Sand Martin |
|
Firecrest |
Sandwich Tern |
|
Goldfinch |
Scaup |
|
Goldcrest |
Sea Slater |
|
Graylag |
Sedge Warbler |
|
Great Spotted Woodpecker |
Shelduck |
|
Greater Black Backed Gull |
Siskin |
|
Green Finch |
Song Thrush |
|
Grey Wagtail |
Sparrow Hawk |
|
Heron |
Starling |
|
Herring Gull |
Stock Dove |
|
House Martin |
Swallow |
|
Jay |
Teal |
|
Kestrel |
Tufted Duck |
|
Kingfisher |
Water Rail |
|
Lesser Black Backed Gull |
Wheater |
|
Lesser Whitethroat |
Whimbrel |
|
Linnet |
Whitethroat |
|
Little Egret |
Willow Warbler |
|
Little Grebe |
Wren |
|
Little Ringed Plover |
|