I doubt anyone will have failed to notice the cold temperatures in England over the last week. This has had a huge impact on wildlife locally, nationally and internationally.
One of the most dramatic impacts of the weather around the estuary has been the total freezing of most of the other reserves in the estuary. On average, our reserves at Boyton and Hollesley probably hold around 2000 wigeon and 1500 teal, throw in a few none reserve birds and I would estimate there are around 3 to 4000 wigeon around the estuary. Almost all these birds, swelled with a few continental migrants are on the river Ore now.
Not the greatest video but it does demonstrate just how many duck have been displaced.
One species that will be struggling in this weather is lapwings. Lapwings have been displaced from there usual feeding grounds by this cold snap and having to feed in unusual areas. For instance at the office this afternoon there was one feeding on the next doors garden, here’s one in feeding amongst the gorse and shingle heath on Havergate.
An interesting facet are cold weather movements from the continent. Whilst one always thinks of geese and ducks moving in cold conditions, we have also seen an influx of small waders such as dunlin and redshank. It is likely that most of these birds come from the Wadden sea, which freezes solid in the winter, displaced from here, birds often come direct to the UK as our temperatures can remain that little higher than continental Europe due to our marine and gulf stream influenced environment.
Here are some dunlin and redshanks feeding on the newly created scrapes. At an estimate, there are well in excess of 700 dunlin on the island at this moment. They can be quite confiding, they’ll be two reasons for this, one they’ll come from an area where there is little or no human interference and also has there are entirely focused on feeding in these conditions and can be very reluctant to fly.
The shorelarks are still around, battling away in the snow, as are 3 short eared owls, sadly the cold weather has taken its toll on the spoonbills with all four seemingly fled the estuary. A smew graced doveys lagoon for the last few days of the week, other notable birds include a influx of bar tailed godwits, again from the continent and small passerines like skylark which are fleeing the mainland in hope of feeding out on the island with its relatively low level of snow cover.
In other news its not just birds that have struggled, the contractors have also found it hard going on the reserve this week. However, it should be noted that this is not a life and death struggle merely a case of not being able to do some concreting. I do not think this overall has had a significant delaying effect on the project and we are still set for an early march finish.