Today regular winter haunts include the Hollow Pond. Shoulder of Mutton Pond, the Basin and Connaught Water. It has nested on the
Basin. Eagle Pond and Connaught Water but often not successfully due to the depredations of egg collectors. It is now the most commonly
sighted grebe in Essex.
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
An extremely rare and irregular visitor to the Forest Ponds, one was recorded from the Basin in February 1877 (Christy, 1890) and a single
bird was reported from the Eagle Pond from 18th February to 19th March, 1979 (Wren, 1979).
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Another rare visitor, a single bird was present on the Basin in late April, 1981 (EBR 1981).
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
Three records of 'wrecked' birds are known to me, none specifically from the Forest. Edward Doubleday (1835) records one picked up dead
in a field near Epping. Henry Doubleday recorded another picked up dead in an Epping garden in September, 1866 (Christy, 1890). Another
bird picked up live from a road in Loughton on 11th November, 1978 was released on the King George V reservoir (EBR 1978).
Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
Hudson and Pyman (1968) give two Epping Forest area records for this species. One was recorded in the Forest on 9th December, 1956 and
another from Woodford Green on 26th November, 1962. Only thirteen 20th century records of this species are known for Essex (Cox, 1984).
Leach's Petrel Oceanodroma leucorrhoa
A stormy day about 20th January, 1837 gives us the only record of this species for Epping Forest, a fine specimen picked up by a boy in the
Forest and given to Henry Doubleday (Christy, 1890).
Gannet Sula bassana
Recorded for Epping Forest in May, 1941 (LNHS, 1964), and a bird found on playing Fields at Ilford in late April 1981, as a result of
north-east gales was taken to Wanstead Park (1 subsequently saw it on the Basin Pond) and later to King George V reservoir where it later
died (EBR 1981).
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Regularly seen in flight over the southern half of Epping Forest, particularly late in the year. This species occasionally visits the southern
ponds: it has been seen on the Ornamental Water and Shoulder of Mutton Ponds, Wanstead Park.
Bittern Botaurus stellaris
'A specimen was killed a few years ago by the stream adjoining Wanstead Park" (Buxton, 1911).
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
The heronry in Wanstead Park was one of the most notable features of the southern part of Epping Forest. The colony originally nested at
the Heronry Pond, later transferring to Lincoln Island. The colony contained usually 40-50 nests, 68 were recorded in 1894 (Buxton, 1911)
and 72 in 1916 (EN XVIII p.205). The last recorded nesting was in 1957 (Hudson and Pyman, 1968). Herons are still seen in small numbers
in Wanstead Park and elsewhere in the Forest. Connaught Water is a favoured location. I have also seen them fishing the Ching Brook in
hard weather. Many of the birds now seen in the Forest presumably emanate from the Walthamstow Reservoirs colony.
Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Present in small numbers on the Forest ponds and lakes: it breeds occasionally. This species has nested at Connaught Water (1977), Warren
Pond, Hollow Ponds (1980) and Ornamental Water (1972-79). A pen with suspected lead poisoning (later confirmed by M.A.F.F.) was
found on the Ornamental Water in 1979. Other cases of lead poisoned Swans have been reported including two young Swans from the
Eagle Pond. A maximum of 25 birds was recorded from the southern Forest ponds in 1980. I saw 15 birds on the Alexandra Pond in
February 1990.
Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii
Recorded from the Alexandra Pond on Wanstead Flats on 5th February, 1931. This bird later visited the Perch Pond and was to be seen on
the Basin on 15th March, returning to the Alexandra Pond where it remained until 21st March (EN XXIII p. 150). Three birds were noted on
the Hollow Ponds for a few hours on 7th January, 1979 (Wren, 1979). The same report mentions another sighting of a single specimen of
this species on the Basin in 1947.
Whooper Swan Cygnus Cygnus
Recorded on Connaught Water on 26th January, 1941 (LNHS, 1964). Three were seen on the Hollow Ponds on 9th February, 1948 by a Mr.
C. R. H.Edwards (EN XXVIIIp.141).
White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
A flock of 50-60 birds considered to be this species was seen flying over Wanstead Flats on 28th January, 1979 (Wren, 1979).
Greylag Goose Anser Anser
A single bird noted on the Eagle Pond in February, 1919 (LNHS, 1964). A feral bird was reported from the Eagle Pond in the years
1978-1980, associating with Canada Geese (Wren, 1978-80).
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
The first breeding record of this species I know of is from Wanstead Park in 1970 (Leutscher, 1974). Since 1970 numbers have increased
greatly: 100 birds reported from Eagle Pond in November, 1979 (Wren, 1979); a total of 130 birds from the Eagle and Hollow Ponds in
1980 and 150 at Snaresbrook (presumably Eagle Pond) in January, 1982 (EBR 1982). Pairs have occasionally nested on Connaught Water,
two successfully in 1991. In recent years a great increase in numbers of this species has been reported in Essex (Cox, 1984).
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis
A single bird consorting with Canada Geese was reported from the Eagle Pond in 1980 (Wren, 1980). One to three birds were noted January
- February, 1983 at Snaresbrook (Eagle Pond) and a single bird on 1st April (EBR 1983). All birds are assumed to be feral in origin.
Brent Goose Branta bernicla
Buxton (1911) reports this species over Epping Forest
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus
A pair was reported from Connaught Water about 1937 (Cox, 1984). A pair was noted on Wanstead Flats on a number of occasions in 1978.
The birds were presumably of feral origin.
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea
A single bird was reported from the Eagle Pond in the winter of 1987 (J. Plant, pers, comm.), presumably of feral origin.
Mandarin Aix galericulata
This strikingly plumaged Asiatic duck, much kept in wildfowl collections, is now a regular breeding species in Epping Forest. The first
record is apparently of one male seen on Connaught Water on 15th November, 1947 (EN XXVIII p.75). Six birds were present in the Forest
between 1953 and 1955 and breeding may have occurred (Hudson and Pyman. 1968). In the late 1970s breeding was confirmed and since
then numbers have increased. Connaught Water is a favoured site: two pairs were seen displaying here in 1983 (EBR 1983). Breeding has
taken place in the vicinity of Connaught Water, Strawberry Hill Pond and Wake Valley Pond. Sightings of this spectacular bird have come
from several other ponds in Epping Forest: High Beach, Fairmead Alder Pond, Earls Path Pond, Warren Pond and Lords Bushes, the latter
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