Common Starling (Sue Tranter)
Pied Flycatcher (Andy Cook)
Pied Wagtail (Andy Cook)
Common Stonechat (Andy Cook)
The Birds Of Wormwood Scrubs 1980 - 2006
Of the several local patches that I have had during my life, none have rewarded the many hours of coverage quite the way The Scrubs has. For many, the site seems an unlikely place to find anything other than errant jailbirds. For years I've been the butt of many jail jokes due to my unerring dedication to the site. My favourite jibe, by the way, is 'do you see many birds from your cell then?' Well, after a few visits, I'm sure even the most fervent doubters will change their minds.
I have been birding here since the early '90's even though I had known of the park's existence for many years. I first considered it as a potential birding venue whilst researching sites in western London for the Helm guide 'Where To Watch Birds In The London Area'. Whilst thumbing through the pages of old LBR issues I noticed that The Scrubs barely ever got mentioned with the most recent record prior to the singing Wood Warbler in 1980 being a report of a ring-tail in 1968. Intrigued by the potential that I saw in the place and being totally up for a challenge, I adopted it as my local patch.
Wormwood Scrubs encompasses 183 acres encircled by a thin band of woodland dominated by sycamore, birch and plane. Over half the central area taken up with by playing fields that over the years when not utilised by football teams, have played host to a visiting Oystercatcher, Curlews, Mediterranean Gulls, passage Northern Wheatears and a flyover Honey Buzzard, Peregrines and Great Crested Grebes!
The western end of The Scrubs, essentially the portion of land directly west of the football pitches, is probably the most ornithologically fruitful area. It is also one of the best places within The Scrubs for scarce migrants particularly on Lester's Embankment running along the northern border that adjoins Chats Paddock to the east and the Western Edge to the west. There is small grassland in the centre that is home to possibly the nearest colony of Meadow Pipits to central London. The Scrubs is also home to an important population of Common Lizard.
In the past The Scrubs used to be much larger and was part of the Great Middlesex Forest. In Saxon times and through the Middle Ages the area was called Wormholt Wood ('snake wood') and was used for cattle and pig farming. By the mid 18th century most the woodland had been cut down for fuel and became known as Wormers Wood. At around this time the land was bought by the military and used to exercise troops and rifle practice. During the Second World War an anti-aircraft battery and military depot were based on site and the area used for parachute training.
Nowadays, Wormwood Scrubs is surrounded by urbanisation and has the Channel Tunnel Depot to the north and is bordered by the Scrubs Lane (A219) to the east and the urban sprawl that is Acton to the west and to the south are the grounds of Hammersmith Hospital, the Lynford Christie Stadium and of course, the imposing prison of the same name.
Despite being in such a densely populated area, it is rarely mobbed by the local populace and the site's appeal to nature is astounding largely thanks to the attention it receives from the local conservation groups such as Groundwork West London and The Friends Of The Scrubs (FOS).
The existence of The Scrubs has come under threat several times during the last hundred years. At the turn of last century the area narrowly missed being turned into the first London Airport - that dubious distinction went to Heathrow! Then there was the Channel Tunnel development in the '80's that local protestations failed to stop. The latest threat comes in the shape of Crossrail and their plans to extend a rail link across west London that would churn up The Scrubs.
The fact that 2002 saw parts of the site designated as a Local Nature Reserve will hopefully strengthened our hand against any future development threats. I just hope that the area will continue to be a magnet for wildlife, long after I am gone.