A late start today to coincide with high tide; Dave Morrison has again organised a co-ordinated count of all the wader roosts within the London Natural History Society area, from Bow Creek downstream to West Thurrock. Our meagre contribution was 12 Redshank and four Common Sandpipers in the usual roost and another Common Sandpiper roosting with Mallards on a large raft on the next meander downstream. Five Common Sandpipers is our best ever winter count although one or two of these birds might be migrants that have hung around because the weather is so mild, only one other locale reported a single Common Sandpiper highlighting the importance of the lower Lea as a wintering area for this species. Given the mild conditions not much else was seen but two Grey Wagtails and a smart male Chaffinch were notable on the passerine front. Below is a summary of the counts from all the known roosts.
Bow Creek
Redshank: 12
Common Sandpiper: 5
Barking Outfall
Dunlin: 2
Black-tailed Godwit: 10
Curlew: 2
Redshank: 87
Barking Bay
Lapwing: 46
Curlew: 6
Crossness
Lapwing: 103
Dunlin: 940
Black-tailed Godwit: 19
Redshank: 420
Fords
Common Sandpiper: 1
Rainham, Stone Barges
Lapwing: 2
Dunlin: 5
Black-tailed Godwit: 4
Redshank: 32
Rainham, RSPB reserve
Golden Plover: 80+
Lapwing: 620
Dunlin: 400
Black-tailed Godwit: 550
Curlew: 1
Redshank: 435
West Thurrock
Oystercatcher: 8
Dunlin: 100
Common Snipe: 4
Curlew: 25
Redshank: 350
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