Rare egret joins more common cousins at RSPB nature reserve

Cattle Egret...Phil Woollen

Staff at the RSPB Dee Estuary nature reserve are celebrating this summer after an unusual bird – the cattle egret – nested for the first time at their Burton Mere Wetlands site near Neston. Viewers of BBC Springwatch may have seen the nest featured on the show in May, and now visitors are being encouraged to see one of the birds up-close.

Locals and visitors to the reserve will be familiar with the hundreds of little egrets living on the estuary, but prior to this year the much rarer cattle egret had managed just two previous breeding attempts in the entire UK, both in south west England.

As their name suggests, cattle egrets are usually found around cattle and many people recognise them from nature documentaries where they often feature around herds of zebras, wildebeest and water buffalo in sub-Saharan Africa. With bright white feathers, these relatives of the more familiar grey heron are beautiful to see and fairly easy to spot.

Colin Wells, Site Manager at the RSPB Dee Estuary said: “We’ve watched excitedly as little egrets rapidly colonised the Dee Estuary over the past couple of decades, with a total of 84 pairs nesting here this year. Their close relatives, cattle egrets, have been a regular visitor over the past six years since Burton Mere Wetlands opened, usually in the autumn when we have cattle grazing on the reserve.

“Egrets, along with other heron-like birds such as spoonbills, have gradually moved into the UK as their historic breeding areas in Europe are becoming hotter and drier due to climate change.

“Last year we had a record six cattle egrets at one point, but it was surprising to see at least two stay through the winter, even when the cattle were taken indoors to avoid the harsh weather. The birds felt so at home, we were delighted when they stayed to nest in amongst the established little egret colony.”

The pair successfully raised one chick, but they quickly left the area after the youngster flew the nest. However, with cattle grazing the reserve again, one cattle egret has returned and there is hope more will follow.

Colin added: “Visitors have been getting brilliant close views of the cattle egret from the comfort of the Reception Hide. There’s no guarantee how long it will stay, so if you fancy a look at one of these exotic birds close to home, come for a visit soon.”

For more information on wildlife spectacles, facilities and events at Burton Mere Wetlands, visit rspb.org.uk/burtonmerewetlands

Egrets, Harriers and Crackers for 24

A stormy day at Burton Mere

Our now annual Christmas trip to RSPB Burton Mere wetlands saw approx 2 dozen of the group arriving in a winter storm, and boy did it lash it down, so severe we had to face the austerity of the visitor centre and the hardship of observing the mere through its large picture windows, whilst sipping hot chocolate! Ha

Warm and cosy visitor centre

Needless to say the birds were making the best of it, backs to the wind and driving rain until the squalls passed.  Lots of wildfowl and waders on the water and scrapes, teal, shelduck, widgeon, coot, moorhen, mallard, tufted  duck,gadwall, shoveler, lapwing, black- tailed godwit, pochard, redshank, dunlin, whooper swan, little egret, Canadian and greylag geese

Buzzard on the fence was the first raptor seen, eventually followed  by a  peregrine spooking the flocks,  then a  ring tailed hen harrier quartering the mere edge visible from the visitor centre. Later a great view of a marsh harrier from the  marsh covert hide.

Target bird for many was the cattle egret that has been on the reserve since September, initially elusive, but  good views were eventually gained on our return to the visitor centre after our stroll around the reserve. The egret was having fun running to a fro between the legs of the reserve’s cattle herd.

Our merry, if slightly soggy band of birders then took  a stroll around the reserve, starting from the visitor centre past the old fisheries pools (no kingy unfortunately) down the boardwalk on the reed and fen trail to the Marsh Covert Hide. From here the trial has been extended and becomes the farm and willow trail. The trail runs alongside the mere and reed bed with 2 areas of wooden screens to look through (usually a good place for water rails and closer views on wild fowl)

Screen view looking towards Burton point

The boardwalk path ends at this point as it climbs up towards the back of the mere pools towards Burton point. Here a whole field is dedicated to feeding birds, planted with wildflowers – one of Burton mere's giant meadow bird tables!

In summer this was alive with warbler song including the much sought grasshopper warbler, today it was pretty quiet and people were focusing on negotiating the very muddy path!  This path eventually leads to the old Inner marsh farm reserve path and Burton point. Along the way there’s a spectacular view of the whole reserve stretching to the old barn and sailing club in the distance.

The car park woodland was the most productive for smaller birds, mainly around the feeders. Chaffinch, blue, gt, coal tit, goldfinch, greenfinch, nuthatch, wren blackbird, song thrush, robin, tree creeper and gt spotted woodpecker (shall I mention the supreme foragers -rats!!)

We returned to the visitor centre just ahead of yet another squall, which delayed us temporarily from moving to our next venue the boathouse for Christmas dinner.

A quick pic with Harry the mascot from August’s Hen Harrier day.

Laura and Harry

http://liverpoolrspb.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/hen-harrier-day.html

Twenty-four of us sat down to a 3 course Christmas dinner at the boathouse. Great stuff, well recommended - the boozy Christmas pud to die for!

Happy revellers

Hats on, Cheers!

These are the days of our lives.

Merry Christmas everybody.

Laura. 

Chris visits 'La Baie de Somme'

La Baie de Somme

Some photos (mainly just record shots as neither my camera nor my technique was up to the distances) are on my flikr pages (http://www.flickr.com/photos/80296786@N05).

The region around the estuary of the Somme is a haven for water birds and an important migration stop.  On the northern shores is the region of Marquenterre.  Originally created by polderisation for farming, it soon began to attract birds and the owners began to manage it for wildlife.  Today there is the Parc du Marquenterre, a formally laid out reserve and the Domaine du Marquenterre, a less formal region in private ownership which offers guided walking tours or electric car hire.   I only had time to visit the Parc. 

It's very well laid out, with good footpaths leading to and often through the hides.  Signposting is exemplary, and they've even thought to put in a composting toilet half way round!  In mid September it was a bit early for migrants, but I still managed quite a good species list, including my first great white egret and cattle egret.

Around the other side of the bay is the much advertised Maison de la Baie de Somme et de l'Oiseaux,  a small museum mostly devoted to a collection of stuffed birds, with ducks arranged by species on shelves and others in dioramas.  Not exactly birding, but quite interesting to a relative beginner like myself.  The museum also has information on the seals which can be seen at several places around the bay, and on the evolution of the landscape.  There's a small collection of captive ducks outside, and a massive one of carved decoy ducks inside.

Although wildlife and conservation are promoted in the region, fowling is an historical and continuing tradition.  Many etangs have flotillas of suspiciously still ducks.  In a way, the hunting mania benefits birds because reserves are protected from development.  One such area is the Hable d'Ault, near Cayeux.  It attracts both birders and hunters, which seems a bit odd to my English sensibilities, but c'est la guerre.  This is a much less organised region, without a good road and with no facilities.  The landscape is reminiscent of Dungeness, vast areas of pebbles partly covered in vegetation.  Some commercial extraction continues.  A large shingle bank separates the road from the sea and a fence keeps you mostly on the road, but small lakes are easily visible.  It was fairly quiet, (apart from the duck hunters!) but there was a good variety of birds including little terns and flocks of tiny serin.  Time was limited here, and the road was very bad for our vehicle, so I only saw a fraction of the reserve.

We returned to England via Folkestone, so I took the chance to visit rspb Dungeness, where I am reliably informed I saw a little stint.  This is  a reserve where a good scope would be a big advantage as the gravel pit lakes are extensive.  Oh, and I also saw a great white egret.  I don't know, you wait all your life to see one then two come along in the same week!

http://www.baiedesomme.fr/en/interactive-map

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/d/dungeness/index.aspx

Chris Daniels