Rotherhithe has a wonderfully diverse collection of wildlife for an inner city area.  The woods, parks, gardens, docks and river hold a fantastic range of resident and visiting wildlife.  And what better time to see and hear it than in the Springtime.

One area the commuters and shoppers pass through in large numbers is particularly interesting.  Canada Water.  A large open stretch of fresh water with an inviting stretch of trees, shrubs and reeds down one side.  Its main attraction in spring is the Great Crested Grebe that has nested for the last two years near the Library and Plaza, unfazed by the noise of building work and skateboarders.  Its as close to genuine wildlife as we could hope to get.  Last year they raised two broods of two chicks, but this year has not started well.  They hatched five eggs but it looks like all the young have been lost.  One was seen dead in the water - a really sad sight.  The failure may have been due to a shortage of small fish to feed the young, although there are large numbers of bigger fish such as `Perch and also Crayfish.  Maybe the alien terrapins and turtles are having an impact on the food supply.  The two adults are still around, mainly skulking in the reeds.  Lets hope they succeed with a second brood.

Grebe feeding feather to young 

Grebe on nest with young on back

The reed fringe hold nests of Mute Swan, Coot and Moorhen.  They also hold the other star visitor - the noisy Reed Warbler.  These birds are summer migrants returning from Africa each year.  All that way to nest in Canada Water.  They can be tricky to see but very easy to hear with their loud scratchy song.  There are at least three singing males this year.

Reed Warbler

Singing Reed Warbler

Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Blackcap have also been seen this year.  These too are migrants; the Blackcaps will probably breed, but the Chiffchaff and Whitethroat look like they have just been passing through.  Over the last year, Sedge Warbler and Kingfisher have also dropped in to join the large number of very common birds such as Dunnock, Wren, Robin and Goldfinch.  Plenty of Blue Tit Great Tit too and the odd Great Spotted Woodpecker and Jay.  House Martins have arrived and we should soon see them hawking over the water for insects maybe joined by the odd Sand Martin.

Whitethroat

Chiffchaff

On the water there are also Lesser Black Backed Gull, Cormorant, and Grey Heron.  None of these will breed here.  There are also ducks: Mallard and Tufted Duck, and both of these probably will.  So too will the Pied Wagtail, easily seen and nesting on the Decathlon side of the dock. In the winter Canada Water holds large numbers of Black Headed Gull but these have now gone to their breeding grounds and will return in the late summer.

The water level has fallen slowly over the last few years, probably because of natural evaporation and transpiration and lack or replenishment.  It is also possible that there is a leak.  One advantage of this has been to create a shoreline appreciated by birds and insects and also shallow water for grebe nests. The viewing platform half way down is a good place to watch the Dragon Flies on the stony shore.  But the dry edges harbour many rats.  Its difficult to judge their impact but they are probably causing a problem for other wildlife, for example by taking the eggs of nesting birds.

Its good to see that from their plans British Land is looking to enhance the opportunities for wildlife and give better access to the wooded and reedy side.  It will mean more people seeing and appreciating at close hand the truly amazing diversity of wildlife in the heart of our city.