05/01/2026
Stockers Lake Bird Report 2025 - by Steve Carter
January
A rare regular from last year was present i.e. a Ferruginous duck along with a possible hybrid of the same species.
Along with 33 Red crested Pochards, also Siskin and Redpolls mid week onwards up to 4 Goldeneye by the 20th.
On the 23rd there was 36 Wigeon on Stockers farm, Storm Eowyn arrived with heavy rain and gales.
February
More rain 13 Lapwing, footpath closed canal side for an incident.
Records not coming in. Around the 18th habitat destruction north side of lake by contractors . Conclusion a Caviar farm seems a bit of a porky to me.
On the 22nd a single Oystercatcher and a single Cetti’s heard.
Months end 2 oystercatcher on the farm with different bill colouration indicating a 2nd CY bill.
March
Started with heavy frost, Wigeon up to 56 individuals, mid month blackcap and Chiffchaff singing only one Cetti’s a steep decline after habitat destruction.
Towards months end 4 Cetti’s and a single Little Ringed plover and a few hirundines.
April
Arrived with sunny spring days 9 Chiffchaff and 1 Willow warbler 4 sand Martin and one Goldeneye still present.
Mid month on the 17th a whitethroat and wheatear on the farm.Warblers increasing on
the 22nd included reed and garden warbler and a common tern.
Stockers farm had a ring ouzel and lesser whitethroat on the 28th.
May
A Cuckoo on the 7th north side of lake a regular haunt, mid month migration continued sedge reed and now 2 cuckoo present. Months end 5 Little egret I counted 50 species on the lake .
June
Flaming June thunder storm Swallow increasing, vandalised hides an annual occurrence Common tern increasing with 6 juveniles. A med gull on the 20th,months end 13 common tern with 3 juveniles.
July
Arrived - a few butterfly’s recorded speckled wood, comma, mid month a jersey tiger moth. On the 22nd a common sandpiper, warblers feeding on elderberries.
August
Was cooler a couple of female Mandarin and on the 20th a spotted flycatcher heard. No reports last 10 days of August.
September
Showers and Storm before a shelduck 3 mandarin and 2 RCP.
On the 12th migrating hirundines, two days later a yellow legged gull on the tern raft.
Months end a few Siskin and reed bunting.
October
Cetti’s calling 3 birds a probable Caspian gull on the 12th and an unconfined short eared owl over the farm.
Patty Griggs bat group were chasing rare pipistrelles.
A single redwing on the 14 th Fieldfare west over the farm more rain a sub species of cormorant lucidius amongst 12 birds.
November
Up to 5 pintail present raining continuously months end 3 goldeneye.
December
More rain 4 RCP present and 5 goldeneye Boxing Day on the 29th a Blackcap finished the year
December 2021
30th - Goosander (female) still
28th - Goosander (female), Kingfisher, c.30 Siskin
25th - Goosander (female seen from Tern Hide then it flew towards Inns Lake where seen again later),
5 Goldeneye (2 males, 3 females and also a pair on Inns Lake), 4 Wigeon (2 males), Red-crested Pochard (male), 2 Egyptian Goose, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker
21st - Goosander (female, in front of Tern Hide), 3 Wigeon (2 males), 5 Red-Crested Pochard (4 males), 2 Egyptian Goose, Grey Wagtail (on river)
20th - Goosander (female), 3 Egyptian Goose, 2 Wigeon, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Red-crested Pochard
18th - 3 Goosander (2 male, 1 female, seen swimming in front of Fort Drew), 5 Goldeneye (2 male, 3 female), 4 Wigeon (2 male, 2 female), 2 Redwing (in field with cattle)
10th - Goosander (female), Goldeneye (male), 3 Red-crested Pochard (males), 15+ Wigeon, 2 Kingfisher, c30 Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, c10 Redwing,Grey Wagtail
9th - 2 Kingfisher (one flew across lake in front of heronry lookout leaning post; the other flew across corner of Inns Lake by Margaret Partridge plot), 3 Goldeneye, Wigeon, 2 Egyptian Goose
8th - Goosander (female roosting on small island at Kingfisher Hide), Kingfisher (on River Colne)
4th - 2 Wigeon, 2 Goldeneye
2nd - Goosander (female seen between Shoveler and Kingfisher hides), Chiffchaff, 2 Great Black-backed Gull , 7 Siskin, 3 Goldeneye (2 males)
November 2021
30th - Great Black-backed Gull, 60 Siskin, 4 Goldeneye (1 male, 3 females)
26th - Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Goldeneye (1 male, 2 females)
24th - 2 Goldeneye, 5 Wigeon, 3 Egyptian Goose, 3 Kingfisher, Red-crested Pochard, Water Rail, 6 Siskin
19th - Goosander (female from the viewpoint just down from Shoveler hide), Goldeneye (male), 2 Water Rail (heard squealing from cover on the causeway), 3 Cetti's Warbler
17th - Chiffchaff, 4 Goldeneye, Goosander (redhead), 8 Red-crested Pochard
16th - 5 Egyptian Goose, 2 Goosander (male in flight plus female showing well on lake), 2 Kingfisher, Wood Duck (male), 12 Siskin, 2 Wigeon
5th - 4 Wigeon, Goldeneye (female), Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail
3rd - 4 Wigeon, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Water Rail (heard squealing in NE corner), 3 Siskin (heard), Kingfisher (flying along Colne)
October 2021
27th - 1+ Cetti's Warbler (calling)
16th - 2 Brambling (calling from willows and seen in flight on North side), 3 Cetti's Warbler
13th - Grey Wagtail (near the river)
September 2021
23rd - Kingfisher, 5 Cetti's Warbler
8th - White Stork (present until at least 0633 hours. Unringed adult and presumably same bird as has been frequenting Cheshunt and Rainham areas all year with much glazed white in regrown primaries)
1st - 46 Swallow, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Sand Martin
August 2021
19th - 2 Hobby (over Stocker's Farm, chasing Hirundines)
15th - Hobby (flying over Stocker's Farm catching a Swallow in flight)
7th - 2 Hobby (flew over "flooded field" at Stocker's Farm at approx midday)
2nd - 2 Little Egret, 12 Egyptian Goose, 7 Common Tern (inc 1 juvenile)
July 2021
13th - 6 Common Tern, Common Sandpiper (on Tern raft), Oystercatcher
7th - circa 2 Oystercatcher (heard calling from islands), Grasshopper Warbler (possible, heard reeling briefly), Cuckoo (heard from trees towards Inns Lake), 2 Red-crested Pochard
5th - 3 Little Egret, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Egyptian Goose, 2 Kingfisher, 4 Common Tern
2nd - Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, Egyptian Goose, 3 Common Tern, 6+ Whitethroat (in Causeway area), Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Reed Warbler
June 2021
24th - Cuckoo (heard singing)
22nd - 5 Cetti's Warbler, 12 Common Tern, 10 Egyptian Goose
16th - 9 Little Egret, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 24 Common Tern
8th - 5 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Cuckoo (n flight over W end of lake and heard calling from islands), Kingfisher
6th - Kingfisher (on River Colne)
1st - Cuckoo (female bubbling), 2 Red-crested Pochard (males)
May 2021
29th - 4 Whitethroat, 3 Cetti's Warbler, Red-crested Pochard (male), 5 Egyptian Goose, 14 Little Egret, 25 Swallow, 4 Sedge Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler
28th - Cuckoo (Causeway), 4 Reed Warbler (Causeway)
26th - Oystercatcher, 20 Common Tern, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Cuckoo (pair again on north side and in scrubby area across the river), 8 Reed Warbler
24th - 16 Common Tern, 3 Whitethroat (singing males), 6 Cetti's Warbler (singing, mostly from Colne vegetation), 2 Garden Warbler (singing males), Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, 30 Swift, 9 Little Egret, Kingfisher, Oystercatcher (Steve Carter)
22nd - Kingfisher (flying up river), 3 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, Cuckoo (heard Colne side regularly all morning), 8 Little Egret, 2 Hobby, 15 Common Tern, Red-crested Pochard, 2 Whitethroat, 4 Garden Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, c 100 Swift, c 25 Swallow, c 30 House Martin
19th - White-fronted Goose (on Stocker's Farm in the flooded), 14 Common Tern, 2 Red-crested Pochard, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler (including 1 scolding a grass snake in the reeds along the causeway), 3 Whitethroat, 4 Garden Warbler (two pairs), c 50 Swift, 12 Swallow, 2 Egyptian Goose
13th - 100+ Swift, 2 Common Tern, Cetti's Warbler
12th - Kingfisher, 2 Oystercatcher, Willow Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, c30 Swift, 12 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin, c50 Swallow, c15 Little Egret
10th - Willow Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Garden Warbler, 3 Sand Martin, c25 House Martin, c50 Swallow, c50 Swift, Raven, 4 Egyptian Goose, 4 Red-crested Pochard, 3 Common Tern
5th - Pied Flycatcher, Hobby, Oystercatcher, 6 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Common Tern, 4 Sand Martin, 12 House Martin, c50 Swallow
1st - 2 Common Tern, Cuckoo (heard calling from area west of River Colne), c6 Sand Martin, 3 Swift , 4 House Martin, c6 Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warbler
April 2021
30th - Common Tern, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, 8 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, c25 Swallow, c30 Swift, 2 Egyptian Goose, 8 Red-crested Pochard
29th - 8 Common Tern, 3 Garden Warbler, 6 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Whitethroat, 4 Swift
26th - 8 Reed Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 5 Sedge Warbler, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Swift, 2 Oystercatcher
23rd - 2 Swift, Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Sand Martin, Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat
22nd - circa 8 Sand Martin, 12 House Martin, c 25 Swallow, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Kingfisher, Common Tern, Oystercatcher
20th - 2 Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, 5 Cetti's Warbler (singing), 2 Kingfisher, 2 Common Tern
19th - Whitethroat, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, 6 Swallow, 4 Kingfisher, 4 Red-crested Pochard, Willow Warbler, 11 Blackcap, Redwing
16th - Wood Duck (drake), 28 Egyptian Goose, 2 Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, 15 Blackcap, 14 Chiffchaff, 7 Cetti's Warbler, Kingfisher, c 15 Swallow, 3 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, Oystercatcher
13th - 6 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 12 Swallow, 4 Sand Martin, 3 House Martin, 3 Kingfisher, Willow Warbler, 8 Egyptian Goose
10th - 7 Blackcap, 14 Chiffchaff, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Red-crested Pochard, 8 Swallow, 5 House Martin, Kingfisher (with food for juveniles)
7th - 5 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff, 4 Cetti's Warbler, Kingfisher, 4 Egyptian Goose
6th - Red-crested Pochard (male), 4 Egyptian Goose, Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Oystercatcher, 12 Swallow, 6 Sand Martin, 12 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 6 Cetti's Warbler
5th - 4 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Egyptian Goose, 12 Swallow, c.4 Sand Martin, Kingfisher
3rd - Sedge Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Blackcap, 11 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, c 30 Swallow, 6 House Martin, c 12 Sand Martin, Kingfisher, 3 Egyptian Goose, Goldeneye (male displaying), Red-Crested Pochard
1st - Sedge Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warbler, Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 15 Chiffchaff (2 seen), Willow Warbler, 5 Swallow, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Egyptian Goose, Red-crested Pochard
March 2021
31st - circa 12 Blackcap (several singing plus one female seen), 3 Cetti's Warbler, Willow Warbler, 2 Kingfisher
30th - Willow Warbler, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Cetti's Warbler
28th - 4 Egyptian Goose, 8 Chiffchaff (all singing), 4 Blackcap (singing), 5 Cetti's Warbler (4 calling), Yellow-legged Gull, Red-crested Pochard (male)
27th - 20 Sand Martin
26th - 12 Swallow, c.100 Sand Martin
25th - Water Rail, Kingfisher, Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Cetti's Warbler
20th - 2 Red-crested Pochard, 2 Goldeneye (pair), 6 Little Egret (inc four birds in heronry), 7 Cetti's Warbler (calling from different locations; one bird sighted on causeway)
17th - 6 Wigeon, Kingfisher, Egyptian Goose, 12 Little Egret
15th - Kingfisher, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Goldeneye
14th - 3 Red-crested Pochard, 10 Wigeon, 6 Egyptian Goose, 3 Goldeneye, 4 Cetti's Warbler (heard)
13th - 5 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldeneye (2 males)
6th - Cetti's Warbler, 4 Egyptian Goose, 3 Goldeneye
3rd - 4 Egyptian Goose (pair with 2 young near boatyard), 2 Redshank (on small island), 4 Goldeneye
February 2021
26th - 2 Goldeneye, 2 Kingfisher (one on lake one on Colne), 6 Wigeon, Cetti's Warbler
23rd - Chiffchaff (heard), Oystercatcher (on islands), 4 Egyptian Goose, 5 Goldeneye (males displaying), 2 Kingfisher, 6 Wigeon, Cetti's Warbler (heard)
20th - 2 Oystercatcher (flew over mid morning), 8 Goldeneye (2 males)
14th - 24 Egyptian Goose, 12 Goldeneye, 8 Siskin (in trees on causeway)
13th - Water Rail (heard calling along the Colne), circa 50 Redwing, circa 20 Fieldfare, 7 Goldeneye, 8 Wigeon
11th - 8 Goldeneye (4 males), 20+ Wigeon
1st - 4 Little Egret, 4 Goldeneye (1 displaying male), 6 Redwing, Grey Wagtail, 2 Lesser Redpoll (in alders)
January 2021
25th - 8 Goldeneye, 4 Egyptian Goose, 5 Red-crested Pochard, 12 Redwing, 9 Wigeon, c.70 Fieldfare
22nd - 7 Goldeneye (3 drakes), 4 Red-crested Pochard (3 drakes) circa 150 Jackdaw coming in to roost at 4.45pm
21st - 4 Goldeneye, Kingfisher, 2 Red-crested Pochard, 12 Siskin, 14 Wigeon, 6 Redwing, 2 Cetti's Warbler,
18th - 3 Goldeneye (2 drakes), 10+ Siskin (feeding in Alders)
11th - 2 Kingfisher, 4 Goldeneye, Cetti's Warbler, c20 Redwing
6th - Kingfisher (perched briefly close to SE end of causeway then flew over the lake), Goldeneye (male), 2 Egyptian Goose (pair)
4th - Goldeneye (female), Buzzard (soaring over lake and being mobbed by black-headed gulls)
1st - Kingfisher (in "wet woodland" area W end of lake), 5 Siskin, 20 Wigeon (11 drakes), 6 Goldeneye (4 drakes), Little Egret