For a while now I’ve been intrigued by East India Dock Reserve.
Docklands is a symbol of Modern Britain. It forms the backdrop to The Apprentice, Dr Who, the recent Alex Rider film, and many other programs and films. The European headquarters of many of the world’s leading financial institutions are here, and the shopping centre is full of accents from all round the world; most shops seem to be staffed by Poles, and the local school children (mainly Bangladeshi) hang round in incongruous groups. And in the middle of all this is a nature reserve. Fraser went in January, and saw Black Redstart and Merlin. I finally got some time today to go and have a look round.
It’s a tiny reserve, little more than a sludge-filled lagoon, but its been developed nicely to make viewing easy, and has a few artificial rafts for breeding. I saw a pair of Grey Wagtails, lots of Sand Martins, at least 4 pairs of Common Terns with lots of young, a single Little-Ringed Plover, a couple of Shelduck, a Grey Heron, and Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Canada Goose, Mallard, Goldfinch, singing Blackcap, singing Sedge Warbler, and lots of Cormorants.
It’s a tiny reserve, little more than a sludge-filled lagoon, but its been developed nicely to make viewing easy, and has a few artificial rafts for breeding. I saw a pair of Grey Wagtails, lots of Sand Martins, at least 4 pairs of Common Terns with lots of young, a single Little-Ringed Plover, a couple of Shelduck, a Grey Heron, and Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Canada Goose, Mallard, Goldfinch, singing Blackcap, singing Sedge Warbler, and lots of Cormorants.
The location is intriguing. To one side, gated estates full of Mercedes, showrooms for new high-rise blocks with luxury penthouses. On the other, derelict factories and piles of scrap metal. Opposite, a building familiar to us all.
1 comment:
Nice bird photos.
Post a Comment