With spring in full bloom, bird enthusiasts may be in with a chance of spotting a special visitor to London’s largest wetland nature reserve.

Walthamstow Wetlands is attracting all kinds of migrators, including a white-spotted bluethroat, the first of its kind to be seen on the reserve in more than 80 years.

The 211 hectare site in Forest Road which opened to the public last October includes 10 reservoirs and is popular with families, wildlife enthusiasts and twitchers.

Ada Crawshay Jones, marketing and events manager at the site, said while spring is considered to be a good season for bird watching, this year has so far proved to be “truly exceptional.”

“Everyone has a chance of a rare sighting,” she said.

“The white-spotted bluethroat stayed for about 48 hours and he could come back.”

“It’s important to respect the habitat of the wildlife and know that it has been allowed to develop over 150 years.

“There’s an educational element to it and health benefits and it’s an amazing opportunity to connect with nature in an urban environment.”

Last winter, more than 1,000 twitchers from as far away as Liverpool and Ireland arrived to enjoy the sight of a bunting who stayed for more than two months.

Migrators such as Wheaters can regularly be spotted during the springtime resting at the reserve before resuming their journey to Greenland.

Staff have counted 180 nests this season and the wetlands has welcomed the first chicks of the year in the form of Greylag Goose goslings.

As part of the ongoing habitat enhancement, seasonal gates have been installed to protect breeding and nesting birds.

2006 the site became the capital’s first place where little egrets began successfully breeding, having hopped over the Channel from mainland Europe.