What to see in Brent River Park

The concept of the park was in no small part due to the campaigning of Luke FitzHerbert who formed the Brent River and Canal Society (BRCS). Working with Ealing Council the park was inaugurated on 29 June 1975, which makes next year its 50th! Work is still being done to prevent inappropriate development, maintain the floodplain, monitoring the river for pollutants and the health of invertebrates via river fly surveys.

The most frequently encountered birds on the river itself are the ubiquitous Mallard and Moorhen, though Grey Herons and less frequently Little Egrets are often encountered. A flash of blue always gives a thrill as a Kingfisher darts past and these beauties are quite regular on the Brent though not always easy to see. Cormorants are occasionally seen though they generally prefer larger water bodies. Early in 2024 a pair of fish-eating Goosanders graced us with their presence for several weeks and were seen near the Fox pub all the way up to Greenford Weir.

Teal are regular in winter in small numbers along quieter stretches of the Brent and gaudy Mandarins can often be seen along the Hanwell stretch, often flying into the collection area of the bunny park for some free food! Waders are occasional and I have seen both Snipe and Green Sandpiper on the Greenford to Hanwell stretch. Grey Wagtails breed along the river and can be seen throughout the year.

In the winter Boles Meadow is often blessed with a pair of Water Rails, though these birds tend to be quite secretive and it’s important not to disturb them.

The old poplars at Boles Meadow backing onto the golf course tend to support quite a few breeding birds with Jackdaws, Stock Doves and both Green and Great-spotted Woodpeckers using the cavities. The ivy-covered trunks nearby often support many Redwing in winter and Goldcrests can be seen amongst tit flocks.

The whole park can be good for birds of prey with Buzzard, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Peregrine (the latter breeding successfully on Ealing Hospital) and in recent years a pair of Hobbies have successfully bred. Little Owls are widespread and at night Tawny Owls can be heard.

The Brent Valley Park supports a healthy population of bats with Common and Soprano Pipistrelles as well as smaller numbers of Noctules and other species.

Perhaps the most unexpected mammal living here is the non-native Edible Dormouse which seems to have a substantial population between at least Boles Meadow and the viaduct. The origins of this local population that has obviously been established for some years remain a mystery. This European species was first introduced into the UK in1902 near Tring from where they have spread and can be a nuisance, especially if they enter buildings.

Other mammals in the park include Hedgehogs, Foxes, Muntjac, and Moles as well as the more common rodents.

Some of the ponds along the Brent contain important amphibian populations with Common Frog, Common Toad, Smooth Newt and the protected Great Crested Newt.

One of the characteristic insects along the river on a sunny summer’s day is the Banded Demoiselle as the males dance to compete for the brilliant green females. Many other common Odonata can be seen with Broad-bodied Chasers favouring the various ponds while Emperor, Brown, Southern and Migrant Hawkers can be seen in their respective seasons.

A wide variety of common butterflies can be observed with Orange Tips, Brimstones and Peacocks amongst the spring species while summer months will produce many Meadow Browns, Gatekeeper and the golden skipper species. Less numerous are species like Small Copper, Common Blue and with a bit of luck Brown Hairstreak in late summer.

In addition to the fauna, there is a wide diversity of flora too.

You can visit the park website, follow the Brent River & Canal Society on Facebook, or join their Facebook Group.

Neil Anderson