News archive
November 2006
Thursday, 16 November 2006
Saltholme International Nature Reserve Update
One of the industries, Huntsman, will be pumping a quarter of a million cubic metres of water onto the site annually once the reserve opens in May 2008. At first glance there did not appear to be much change from my visit of last year, but it soon became apparent that work had been carried out, not least to what is to be a large pool with reed beds on the 1,000 acre site. Patches of phyragmites had been laid and I understand that the large number of Mute Swans in the area is a really good sign suggesting plentiful pond weed and thus invertebrates. Whilst visiting primarily to view the site and hear of progress our eyes could not help be taken by the numerous appearances of two Marsh Harriers overhead, a species which it is hoped will eventually breed on the reserve. My new interest in dragonflies was put to the test too, trying to identify if the ones I was constantly seeing were Common or Migrant Hawkers. I suspect Common were more likely in this type of area, but perhaps we had both. Certainly Common Darter were about and Common Blue Damselfly too. Butterflies included Small Copper, Small White, Red Admiral and later, off site, a Comma. The pools were busy with birds including a lone Greenshank and Golden Plover. Bird species which are to be a priority for the reserve include Snipe, Lapwing, Redshank, Curlew and Oystercatcher. It is also hoped to attract breeding Bearded Tit and Bittern. The Tern platforms are already busy and this year there were 350 pairs of Common Tern which produced 700 chicks and 5 pairs of Sandwich Tern.
This is the largest wetland restoration project in the north and once opened it is hoped that it will attract 100,000 people annually. It is a £7,000,000 project with the budget for the Wild Bird Discovery Centre, on which building work will begin in January 2007, being £4,000,000. This is a joint venture between the RSPB and Teesside Environmental Trust with finance being provided by European grants, local business and Land Fill tax credits, whilst the RSPB provide consultation and management of the reserve. The Discovery Centre, which will provide panoramic views of the reserve, has been designed on the principle of sustainability. The building is designed around a 'stack effect' in which cool air is drawn in from outside of the building, thus providing natural ventilation. There is to be an internal earth wall to control both humidity and temperature and recycled rain water will be used for toilet flushing. There will be three main hides which have been designed by an architect, one of which is especially designed for families and will be supplied with optical equipment. Pathways will lead out into quieter areas of the reserve and there is also to be a cycle track based on the successful track at Old Moor RSPB reserve in Yorkshire.
Sheila, Denise and I could not resist doing a little more bird watching whilst in the area which also brought us great views of 35/40 Common and Grey Seals basking in the sun. I know we are all looking forward to the day when we can visit again, but this time calling in at our local International RSPB Wetland reserve. I guess we will see many of you there! Maybe my Dragonfly identification skills will be spot on by then!
Brian Moorhead
Thursday, 16 November 2006
Avocets Breeding Locally!
I'm sure by now everyone will know about the recent events at the Washington Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT). If not then read on....
Thursday 8th - I was at work, the pager beeped, I forgot to mute it - not allowed at work you see. Oh wow! 2 Avocets at WWT - my local patch!! And a very rare county tick. Realisation dawns. I'm on my late, park closes at 5 and I finish at 6. Tomorrow I'm heading to Frankfurt direct from work and no chance to see these elegant visitors.
Not to worry - they'll probably be gone by morning, or at least first thing.
My first text while I was away was from my dad to inform me they were not only still there (pager no good in Germany) but that he'd seen them. Even more amazing was the fact they had been observed "obtaining a territory" and copulation had taken place.
Bear in mind I was in Germany and by Wednesday 14th June - there was a nest with 3 eggs in it. Thus commenced the fun and games - nobody could say with any degree of accuracy exactly when the eggs were laid, but they were sitting. About this time as a WWT member and some time volunteer, I put together some Avocet facts for the WWT to use as info sheets to the public. Such facts as 23-25 days hatching time, 48-56 days fledging period, etc.
Meanwhile, the decision was taken to suppress any information about the birds on the internet, and a 24 hour around-the-clock vigil was set up volunteered by WWT and RSPB members as well as local bird clubs and birders. These eggs would be a prize addition to any egg thief. So from having a rare county bird, to a first ever for WWT Washington, they became the first breeders this far north, and certainly for the county of Durham. These elegant waders had inadvertently caused a big stir.
With hindsight, it would have taken a feat of rare skill for an egg thief to negotiate the channel, without sinking in mud, get past the Avocet pairing, and then take on the 2 dozen or so pairs of breeding Common Tern, as the Avocets (wisely) decided to make the Tern island their breeding site.
After what seemed an eternity, I believe it was Thursday 6th July that saw the emergence of 2 chicks. The first at approx 4.30am and the second approximately 4/5 hours later. The siblings left the nest almost immediately, feeding around the site under the watchful eyes of their savagely protective parents - these two seeing off any bird that came within sight of their chicks. Seeing off the resident Herons as well as poor Lapwing, and Moorhen who were only interested in non-Avocet foods. The third egg? - well it was incubated for a while, but never hatched. A few times I watched the parents flying from chicks to egg and back again, trying to hatch the third egg and being caught in a heart-wrenching choice of covering the last egg, or protecting the chicks from driving rain.
As the song goes, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad - and at the time of writing this (23/7) the little Avocet's are the pride of the WWT Washington park, the parents themselves are beautiful, the aahh factor of these miniature Avocets needs to be seen to be believed. They are feeding, swimming, and generally slowly growing under the watching and protective eyes of those gentle-looking, yet aggressive parents. Not sure if they needed protection at all actually!
As I mentioned at the beginning these birds were a first for Washington WWT, county Durham and the north east of England to breed. They should remain there at least until the end of August, and possibly longer before they leave us. I'd love to think they'd return to breed again next year, or even colonise the park. Perhaps the young may return to breed at the new flagship RSPB Saltholme Reserve.
On a very personal note, I'd love to see these, the most beautiful of our waders, established locally as a breeding bird, after all they are the symbol of the RSPB and I almost feel paternal towards these little fellas. Even at work by people who have little or no interest, I am asked how the babies are doing. I almost dread the day they leave, even though it will truly have meant REAL success. The day these 2 chicks hatched, it was also revealed that WWT Barnes in London had reared their first Avocets too.
Beautiful!
Stephen Quinn
Postscript
Stephen wrote this article in the summer. Since then he tells us that one chick disappeared, probably taken by the local sparrowhawk, but the second fledged and flew with its parents.