November 18th: Grand Union Canal

I recently uploaded my bird lists on eBird from my first local patch along the Grand Union Canal. When I lived in Queens Park I walked the towpath from Kensal Green up towards Alperton although I didn’t always go that far. I thought it would be interesting to walk that route after almost 40 years to see how things had changed.

My starting point was behind Sainsbury’s in Ladbroke Grove – that was the first change as there was no supermarket there in 1983. It didn’t take long before I noticed the next change: the towpath had become a highway for cycles and e-scooters. I don’t remember encountering any cyclists back in the day but I usually only walked there on Sunday mornings.

First section opposite Kensal Green Cemetery

Harlesden section

The birdlife had changed significantly as well, every section had Coots on it whereas I didn’t see a single one until my 11th visit. There were also a lot of Moorhen compared to the odd one or two I used to see. On my very first visit I recorded a single goose (exact species unknown), this time there were several groups of Canada Geese and two Greylag Geese. One of the latter was sporting a colour-ring and had been ringed in the Royal Parks. 

Coot

Greylag Geese

I had expected to see Egyptian Geese but they don’t appear to have found the canal yet. One other exotic that was new was Ring-necked Parakeet. Back in 1983 I don’t think I knew they even existed as they didn’t feature in my copy of the Observer’s Book of Birds but now they are well established throughout London and it didn’t take long before some loud squawks gave away their presence.

It’s an interesting walk along this stretch of the canal as it weaves its way west out of London, passing beside quiet oases such as Kensal Green Cemetery and Wormwood Scrubs while never being far from a railway. The mainline from Paddington follows the canal for the first section and then there are the huge sidings at Old Oak Common with several varieties of trains including the new Elizabeth Line. London Overground trains cross over the canal at a couple of places a bit further on.

Elizabeth Line train

London Overground rail bridge

Passing under the road bridge of Acton Lane brings you out opposite the Grand Junction Arms, a really nice canal-side pub. I have at least been in the pub during these intervening years.

Grand Junction Arms

You then pass alongside the large industrial area of Park Royal. I didn’t recognise most of it and am sure some of the really large factories have been knocked down in the intervening period. Funnily enough, it was on this stretch that I encountered my only House Sparrows of the day, a little group of three. On my early visits they were commonly seen all along the route. There were also a few Chiffchaffs calling here as well. Back in 1983 they were still a novelty in winter with only 28 birds recorded in November and December in the whole of London.

These directional signs are new!

No, not that one!

A pair of Magpies in a tree were soon joined by several more and their chattering also attracted a passing Crow. I’m not sure what brought them together as Magpie Weddings are typically in early spring but maybe it was the sunshine and blue sky as we’ve not had a lot of that recently.

Magpies and Crow

There were a couple of Herons feeding in the canal today, I did occasionally see one on my earlier visits but they always flew off as soon as anyone came into view whereas now they ignore you and carry on feeding.

Grey Heron

Another new bird today was a Cormorant, perched on a fallen tree in the middle of the canal; in the early 1980s they were quite scarce in London away from the big reservoirs and I had to wait until I started birding at Brent Res before I first saw one.

Cormorant

I recorded Black-headed Gulls on all my earlier visits and noted how there was a large group on a factory roof. They may have been the many times Great-Grandparents of today’s birds as they were common along the canal today as well as there being a resting flock on a factory roof. I wonder if it was the same factory roof after all these years?

Black-headed Gulls on a factory

I also saw one Common and several Herring Gulls today, neither of which I recorded back then although I probably wouldn’t have been able to identify them back then as I didn’t have any bins for most of my early visits.

There’s likely to have been several small birds that would have gone unnoticed by me back then that I picked up on call today including Goldcrest, Wren, Dunnock, Pied and Grey Wagtails. I also saw and heard a flock of Redwing that flew over, most probably recent arrivals to these shores for their winter holiday.

The most obvious omissions today were Starling and Blackbird which I used to see quite regularly. I’m not surprised that Starling wasn’t seen given their drastic decline in numbers recently but I would have expected to see Blackbird and maybe they are still in the area.

As I reached the end of the Park Royal section I could see further changes in the landscape. In the distance Wembley’s arch was visible between the buildings while ahead, the skyline of Alperton has undergone a drastic makeover recently with many large blocks of flats being built overlooking the canal.

Wembley's arch in the distance

The border between Park Royal and Alperton is the North Circular Road and unlike all the other bridges on this section which pass over the canal, this bridge carries the canal over the road. Every time I’ve driven along this section of the North Circ, I always wonder how many people actually realise they’re going under the Grand Union Canal.

Crossing over the North Circular

Looking down; traffic is quiet after the rush hour

Just past the NCR bridge the canal also goes over a partially obscured waterway which is actually the River Brent.

River Brent

This was my last section of the canal and I took the footbridge off Water Lane to the bus stop outside Alperton station.

Water Lane footbridge at Alperton

My walk took almost two hours and covered 3.7 miles and it was a really interesting visit after such a long time. I also recorded 30 species of bird, almost double my previous highest total. I might have to make another visit!

My walk on Google maps starting on the right. The oval in the top left is Wembley Stadium.