Biodiversity at our sites

Peregrines breed at west London reservoir

We were delighted to discover in 2010 that peregrines were for the first time breeding on our land.

A nest box for peregrines had been erected on a water tower at one of our west London reservoirs four years ago, in the hope that they would use this protected site.

It was therefore encouraging to see peregrines begin to use the box as a regular roost site. This year, they went a step further using the box as a nest site and successfully raising two chicks.

Peregrines pictured in the nesting box we erected at one of our reservoirs.

Numerous bird watchers descended on Farmoor Reservoir to see an American black tern.

Improvements at Surbiton lagoon

In summer 2009 we began work to attract new species of birds and other wildlife to a lagoon near Hogsmill Sewage Treatment Works.

The first phase will involve reshaping the lagoon, then adding floating rafts for birds to perch on, plus two hides for visitors to the site.

Birdwatchers visit Farmoor

Thousands of birdwatchers visited Farmoor Reservoir in summer 2009 to see a rare American black tern. It normally breeds on marshes across Canada and the northern USA, wintering in South America.

The bird was accompanied by its European counterpart, a black tern, and a white winged black tern, which is a very close European relative. This unusual occurrence could be the only time the three species are seen together in the UK.