I must admit I'm not a great one for latin bird names. As a scientist I can see the advantages but as someone lacking classical training, well it's just all latin to me. However, when you understand the meaning they do take on a new significance. Take Pluvialis apricaria as an example, this is the latin name for golden plover and comes from the latin pluvia - to rain and apricus - sun-kissed.
Titchwell is a great place to experience sun kissed rain and there are currently over 2000 of these fantastic birds using the fresh marsh. If you truely want to understand the latin name why not visit the reserve and experience it yourself.
Unfortunately these are birds that are probably going to be some of the first to suffer due to climate change. Research has shown that changes in the temperature in both spring and late summer is affecting food availabilty and breeding golden plovers may decline rapidly or even become locally extinct in some parts of the UK.
If you feel strongly about climate change and the effect it is having on our environment why not join The Wave.
Well the contractors which have been building our new seawall have finished for the season and left site. It seems eerily quiet at 7:30 am without the dull throb of deisel engines, it just proves how quickly you get used to things around you.
WIth the work complete for this year all of our attention is now focused on delivery of next years work which promises to be one of the most exciting stages of the project. Next year will see the construction of a new hide on the Parrinder sea wall. In preparation for this we are trialling some new window designs which have been fitted to the fen hide. These windows are a trial so we expect there to be alterations required and a process of continual development before we get what we want. For this to work we need feed back from our visitors on these designs. So if you come to the reserve please make sure you visit Fen hide and give us your thoughts.