May here is generally a month of two halves. The tail-end of the spring migration period dominates the first half of the month, with passage migrants likely and the last of our summer breeding…

April is always an interesting month here, and in some years can be the best birding month of the year. It is the peak time for the return of our summer breeding birds but also a good time to see…

April again lived up to its reputation as the best birding month of the year, Although there was no outright rarity, black-necked grebes, osprey, tree pipit, ring ouzel and avocets were among the…

After the quiet and settled months of a mild winter, March is the month when things start to change. Short-distant migrants are already starting to arrive at the start of the month, and before the…

A flock of crossbills and a nuthatch - both genuine rarities at the Wetlands - were the stand-out birds in March. The month also saw the first brent geese since 2021, an unprecedented three…

February here is usually the last quiet birding month of winter before spring migration gets underway in March. If the weather is mild there is little reason for birds to move around, so most of…

January has always been a month that can turn up some good birds if we get a spell of cold weather. Whilst the weather this time wasn’t particularly extreme, we did have a period where most of the…

The first long-tailed duck for five years helped get the New Year off to a flying start. January also saw the first red-crested pochard since 2022 as well as a visit from a drake scaup and a…

December has, in the past, been a month when a rare bird or two can turn up here. These occasions are usually coincident with some unusual weather though, either foggy winter mornings or extended…

A long-staying oystercatcher - an unusual winter record in London - was the highlight of a very dull month at the Wetlands. December also brought a small cold-weather passage of wigeon and lapwing…