Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
'A specimen procured by the late Mr. Doubleday of Epping was presented by him to the British Museum' (Buxton, 1911),
Dunlin Calidris alpina
One bird was seen flying low over Wanstead Flats, near Dames Road Pond on 6th February. 1979 and another seen by Alexandra Pond
from 31st August to 3rd September, 1979 (Wren, 1979).
Rut! Philomachus pugnax
A juvenile male was seen on the dry bed of the Heronry Pond on 31st August, 1980, and a further bird is mentioned occurring in 1976
(Wren, 1980). A single bird was reported from southern Epping Forest in 1981 (Wren, 1982-3).
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus
A rare and irregular visitor to the Forest. Christy (1890) mentions it as occurring frequently on Wanstead Flats. Buxton (1911) recorded it
from Piercing Hill, Theydon Bois in 1885. One was seen near the Heronry Pond on 26th October, 1979 (Wren, 1979).
Snipe Gallinago gallinago
An infrequent winter visitor to the Forest. Buxton (1911) recorded this species as not infrequent by Forest ponds and noted a pair in Monk
Wood in March, 1897. It was recorded from Wanstead Park in November, 1977. I saw three birds along the Ching Brook near Rangers
Road on 20th December, 1978. Six were reported from Leyton Flats on 3rd April, 1983 (Wren, 1982-3).
Great Snipe Gallinago media
One was recorded from Forest Gate in 1889 (Glegg, 1929).
Woodcock Scolopax rusticola
Winter visitor and occasional breeding species. Buxton (1911) regarded this species as a not infrequent winter visitor and not unknown as a
breeding species. J. E. Harting recorded it as a breeding species near Loughton Camp in 1887 (EN 1 p. 166). A chick was found in June,
1976 in the Forest (EBR 1976). A roding bird was recorded in the Forest in 1988 (EBR 1988); breeding was suspected but not confirmed.
The L.B.R. indicates 2 pairs may have bred in 1988. A bird was reported in May from the Long Running area of Epping Forest in 1989
(EBR 1989). There are many winter records for this bird from the vicinity of Connaught Water, Other records have come from Wanstead
Park; near Manor Road, Loughton; Lower Forest, Ching Brook (near Whitehall Plain); near the entrance to the Warren; Lords Bushes and
near the Robin Hood.
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
A single bird was seen by Mr. John Plant by the Shoulder of Mutton Pond, Wanstead Park on 18th September. 1990: the only Forest record.
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
A single bird was recorded in Epping Forest on 5th May, 1980 (EBR 1980).
Curlew Numenius arquata
This long-billed wader is only rarely reported from the Epping Forest area. It was recorded in the Forest in September, 1921 (LNHS, 1923).
A probable Curlew was noted from Wanstead Flats on 18th July. 1978 (Wren, 1978). Mr. McKenzie-Smith (pers. comm,) saw a small party
of 3 or 4 birds flying westwards over Kings Avenue, Buckhurst Hill on 20th July, 1933.
Redshank Tringa totanus
Formerly a not uncommon breeding species in the Roding Valley and Lee Valley, it has only once been reported from Epping Forest, A pair
nested in a field adjacent to Lords Bushes in 1932 (LN 1933), A single Redshank was recorded at Birch Hall, Theydon Bois in 1905
(Buxton, 1911) and a single bird was seen over the Hollow Ponds and Wanstead Flats on 3rd April, 1983 (Wren, 1982-3).
Greenshank Tringa nebularia
'In the Saffron Walden Museum is a specimen from Epping presented, nearly 50 years ago, by Henry Doubleday' (Christy, 1890).
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
A scarce passage migrant. Christy (1890) has a number of records of this species from 1832-42 from the vicinity of Epping. In August,
1842 at least 20 were kilted at the this location. A single bird was seen by the pond on Theydon Bois Green in 1916 (Stubbs, 1919) and
another bird was seen by Glegg by a pond side on Fairmead Bottom on 5th December, 1920.
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
Henry Doubleday 1840 recorded this species 'taken by a fellow celebrated for poaching which he shot at a pond on our common' (Christy,
1890).
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Noted as a regular but uncommon bird on passage usually by ponds in the Forest. It has been recorded from Wanstead Park and Baldwins
Hill Pond (Christy, 1890); Connaught Water in 1917 and 1923 (LN 1923) and more recently from Wanstead Park in 1977 and 1978; from
Alexandra Lake and Eagle Pond in 1979 and from Wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats in 1980 (Wren, 1980).
Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
Scarce and irregular autumn passage migrant. One was killed by a stone from a catapult on Wanstead Flats in 1888 (Christy, 1890). Glegg
(1929) notes another from Wanstead Park in 1875 and a third was reported from the Heronry Pond, Wanstead Park in 1963 (LN 1963).
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
A first winter bird noted in Wanstead Park on 16th September, 1984 (EBR 1984).
Black-headed Gull Lams ridibundus
Autumn and winter sees large numbers of this (and other) species particularly on the mown grasslands in the Forest, Of note are the
gatherings on Chingford Plain, Wanstead and Leyton Flats. Some 1300 individuals of this species were counted in the southern part of
Epping Forest in 1980, with some 800 occurring on the Basin (Wren. 1980). I saw 150+ on Connaught Water in December, 1978. It can
often be seen on quite small ponds as well as the larger bodies of water. Large flocks flying to roost sites in the Lee Valley are a common
site in autumn and winter over Epping Forest.
Common Gull Larus canus
Often occurring with Black-Headed Gulls, but in much smaller numbers. Favoured sites include Wanstead Flats. Usually 30-80 birds
wintered in the years 1977-80 in the southern part of Epping Forest, but a maximum count was 130 in February, 1979. I have seen this
species also on Buckhurst Hill cricket pitch, St. John's Pond and Connaught Water, always in small numbers.
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Small numbers were reported from Wanstead and Leyton Flats, usually in the early part of the year, in the years 1977-80. A maximum count
was 17 in July, 1978 on Wanstead Flats. This bird has also been seen on the Basin and Eagle Pond (Wren, 1979-80).
Herring Gull Larus argentatus
As the previous species, this bird is most often seen in small numbers in the winter with most records coming from southern Epping Forest,
particularly Wanstead Flats. An exceptional count was 67 (56 adults, 11 immatures) in December, 1978 (Wren, 1977-80).
Iceland Gull Larus glaucioides
An adult was seen at Copped Hall on 24th December. 1988 (EBR 1988).
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