It’s no secret…this is the way to go if you fancy a stroll along the riverfront at Barking Riverside. Dozens of local people turned up at Public Footpath along the shoreline, to do a bit of birdwatching at the wildlife haven, as part of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) national Birdwatch event. Over a hundred Knot were sighted, over 30 shelduck, and cormorants sunning themselves on the Uber Jetty. There was even a seal on the far bank of the river Thames enjoying a mud-bath.
The footpath is the perfect place to see one of London’s most impressive wildlife. The footpath runs along one of the most ecologically sensitive wildlife at Barking Riverside, which is also ‘home’ for many waterbirds. Shelduck, Cormorant, Knot, live on the nutrient-rich mudflats; and Dartford Warbler, Linnet, Curlew, Kestrel and Stonechat are found among the grassland by the footpath.
Many rare and interesting types of bees and butterflies are also found there; scientists are still identifying many species. The footpath attracts people from all over London, as far as Hampstead and into Essex. Getting there is made a bit easier due to the Uber Ferry connection from Central London.
Why not spend some time exploring this Spring and see what you can spot!
By Kevin Hudson
Local resident and REB member
