Little Ringed Plover

Charadrius dubius

Once scarce here they have become regular visitors since new habitat was created by London Wildlife Trust and up to five have been seen on different dates since 2014. Previous records were one on the 10th of April 1994, two pairs during April 2002, and one on the 5th of April 2009.

The two pairs present during April 2002 looked as if they may nest when the East reservoir (now Woodberry Wetlands) was temporarily drained. However the basin was refilled before breeding took place.

In June 2015, when the east reservoir was drained in preparation for the opening of Woodberry Wetlands, a pair were seen for two weeks courting, mating, scrape-building and sitting. However no young were seen, and it's possible the nest was disturbed by a fox.

Before the 1930s the Little Ringed Plover was a rare vagrant to Britain. It first bred in the UK in Hertfordshire in 1938, & soon after in the Lea Valley, and has since colonised southern Britain thanks to its liking for man-made habitats like gravel pits & reservoirs which has led to an increase in numbers.

Number in Britain: 1200 pairs (Summer)

Status:

in London: breeding summer visitor and passage migrant.

in UK: Migrant breeder, passage visitor

Habitat: Sandy or rocky lakeshores, on migration mudflats.

Diet: Insects, also spiders and other invertebrates, just below the surface of wet ground.

Data from the London Natural History Society (LNHS) and British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)

• Systematic List of the Birds of Stoke Newington Reservoirs / Woodberry Wetlands