Lee Valley Regional Park Authority is hosting a Walthamstow BioBlitz this April, featuring a number of nature walks at the WaterWorks Centre nature reserve and Walthamstow Marshes. During the events participants will be asked to record their wildlife sightings, creating a snapshot of the wide range of wildlife in these two important sites.

The results of the Walthamstow BioBlitz will feed into the City Nature Challenge London, a competition to find and record the most nature across the city from Friday, April 26 Monday, April 29 April. London is competing with 160 cities worldwide, including six other UK cities.

Visitors are encouraged to download the free INaturalist app in advance and join in the fun at one of Lee Valley Regional Park’s free events and help to make London one of the winning cities in the City Nature Challenge 2019.

Springtime Bird Walk

A morning guided bird walk taking in the old filter beds and Walthamstow Marshes.

Date: Friday, April 26

Time: 9.00am to 11.00am

Price: Free

Address: Meet outside WaterWorks Centre, Lammas Road (off Lea Bridge Road), Leyton,

E10 7QB

Wildlife on the Marshes

Enjoy a walk around Walthamstow Marshes, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, exploring its wide variety of butterflies, birds, moths and dragonflies.

Date: Friday, April 26

Time: 11.00am to 12.30pm

Price: Free

Address: Meet outside Lee Valley Ice Centre, Lea Bridge Road, E10 7QL

Water Voles on the Marshes

Water Voles were once common across Britain but have undergone serious decline throughout the last century largely due to the loss and degradation of their wetland habitats and the spread of American Mink. Lee Valley still has good populations on a number of sites.

Join staff from Lee Valley Regional Park for a walk through one of their strongholds at Walthamstow Marshes for a chance to learn more about these charismatic little mammals and the work that is being carried out to protect them. Look out for telltale signs along the network of ditches and if you’re lucky you might even see one.

Date: Friday, April 26

Time: 1.00pm to 2.30pm

Price: Free

Address: Meet outside Lee Valley Ice Centre, Lea Bridge Road, E10 7QL

Bird Ringing on the Filter beds

Discover the birds that call the Filter beds their home. Explore the quieter side to London and a rare opportunity to see some of its bird species up close in a ringing session.

Date: Saturday, April 27

Time: 8.00am to 11.00am

Price: Free

Address: Meet outside WaterWorks Centre, Lammas Road (off Lea Bridge Road), Leyton, E10 7QB

Children’s Wildlife Hunt

Young nature detectives and their families are invited to join Lee Valley Youth and Schools Service to look for magnificent minibeasts, brilliant birds and play wildlife games. Book in advance.

Date: Saturday, April 27

Time: 10.30am to 12.00pm

Price: Free

Address: Meet outside WaterWorks Centre, Lammas Road (off Lea Bridge Road), Leyton, E10 7QB