ACCESS TO BEDDINGTON

As Beddington is a working site with gravel extraction, landfill, sludge spreading and many other operations going on, access to the inner part is restricted to keyholders only. Obtaining a key is very difficult as they rarely become available. If a key does become available, a likely recipient would be someone who lives locally and can put a lot of time in recording birds and help with the scientific study or habitat improvement and conservation on site etc.

If you’re not a keyholder, a lot can be seen from the pathway adjacent the works. Enter via Mile Road (do not park here), opposite the junction of Hackbridge and London Road.

Birds mentioned are dependant on time of year, check with systematic list for likelyhood of occurrence.

From the Kissing Gate to the other side of the Hackbridge railway bridge, birds such as Pied Flycatcher and Firecrest have been seen. Warblers including Garden and Lesser Whitethroat are regularly recorded. The bushes on the south east side of the bridge have held Rustic and Little Bunting together (once in 1993).

From the top of the bridge, look south east over the south scrape (a scope is an advantage). Various waders such as Black-Tailed Godwit, Curlew, Greenshank, Redshank, Snipe, Wood , Green and Common Sandpiper, Lapwing, Snipe and LRP have been seen here. Wildfowl including Garganey, Shelduck, Green-Winged teal and the more common Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal have also been seen and Little Egret are fairly regular in winter. Jack Snipe and spotted Crake have occurred but have been difficult to see.

At the eastern side of the bridge you can turn south towards Beddington park but not a lot is seen on this stretch (an Ortolan spent some time on top of the Poplars once and Firecrest has been seen near the Park).

If you take the path northwards towards Mitcham Common, on your right after about twenty five yards there is a spur which takes you to a viewpoint over the lake and the Tree Sparrow feeder. The lake and it’s surrounds is one of the main focal points. Lots of interesting gulls (usually when the tip is working), have been recorded on the lake, these include Med, Little, Ring-Billed, Yellow-Legged, Caspian, Iceland and Glaucous Gull plus Kittwake and Sabine’s. The only Petrel was a Fulmar in 2001 and Surrey’s second record of Great Skua dropped in in 1998. A host of waders have been recorded on the lake including Oystercatcher, Avocet, Golden and Grey Plover, Knot, Sanderling, Temminck’s and Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Jack Snipe, Black and Bar-Tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Wood, Green and Common Sandpiper and Turnstone as well as Dunlin, Snipe, LRP and Lapwing. Herons seen include Spoonbill, Great White Egret and Purple Heron, Little Egret are fairly regular. Red-Throated Diver, Black-Necked and Red- Necked Grebe have been recorded on the lake and at least two Gannet have flown over very low. Bewick’s and Whooper Swan, Brent and Bean Goose have also set down . Among the scarcer wildfowl, Green-Winged Teal, Ferruginous and Ring-Necked Duck , Scaup, Eider, Common and Velvet Scoter have been recorded as have Goldeneye, Goosander and Red-Breasted Merganser. Terns are represented with records of Sandwich, Common, Arctic, Little, and Black Tern although it is only Common Tern which is regularly seen. Passerines are attracted around the lake and the common warblers, including Reed and Sedge are seen or heard. Scarcer passerines recorded near the lake include Rustic and Little Bunting, Citrine Wagtail, Golden Oriole, Quail,

Marsh Warbler, Nightingale, Cetti’s and Grasshopper Warbler.

Kingfisher is fairly regularly seen.

Moving north along the path there are other, unofficial,

viewpoints over the lake. Either side of the path are trees and

bushes which hold plenty of birds, Nightingale, Grasshopper

Warbler, Ring Ouzel, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher have been

seen along here. As the path reaches Mitcham Common, a

mound on the right gives views over the “Normington Bed”

adjacent the Common. This bed has held Garganey, Knot,

Turnstone Black-Tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, Wood,

Green and Common Sandpiper, LRP, Jack Snipe, Greenshank

and Dunlin. Pied Flycatcher has been recorded in the oaks

behind the bed and Little Owl is sometimes seen there.

Always keep an eye on the sky. Interesting flyovers in 2006

include Spoonbill, White-Fronted Geese, Red Kite and

White-Backed Vulture !

For Gull enthusiasts, the landfill works from c7:00am-c4:00pm

monday-friday, c7:00am-c12:00noon saturday. No tipping on a

sunday so not many gulls.

BEDDINGTON CONSERVATION WORK

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