News archive
February 2009
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Indoor Meeting - Awash With Birds
This was an evening devoted to two RSPB films. The first, "Awash with Birds", was narrated by David Attenborough and embodied a pictorial journey through the seasons at Titchwell Marsh (currently under threat from sea erosion) and Snettisham nature reserves in north Norfolk. Both are widely regarded as two of the finest wildlife sites in the UK. More than 300 species of bird have been recorded at each of these reserves and Titchwell receives over 100,000 visitors each year. The main attractions are well known to serious birders: marsh harriers (currently there are three pairs nesting in the reedbeds); bearded tits (whose young from early broods may breed in the same year); bittern, once a popular dish in the Middle Ages but now a wildlife celebrity attracting EU grants worth millions to restore its habitat; and, of course, the RSPB emblem, the avocet (last year there were 65 nests on the brackish marsh islands). There were lovely views of these together with shots of rare and more common migrants such as temminck's stint, yellow wagtail, pied flycatcher and sedge warbler. Snettisham, situated on the East side of the Wash, sometimes holds more than a third of the estimated 300,000 birds wintering on what is the most important estuary for birds in the UK. The knot, grey plover and pink-footed goose found in internationally significant numbers here were well represented and there was also high quality coverage of dotterel, wheatear, whinchat, barn and short-eared owl, kestrel and sparrowhawk to name but a few. Amongst many others I really must mention the lovely images of the singing grasshopper warbler, the beautiful whooper swans, the pretty snow buntings on the shore and the close-ups of some of the 17 species of dragonfly and damselfly recorded at Titchwell.
The second shorter film, "Forsinard - The Undiscovered Country", showed the peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland. An area studded with thousands of pools, it is a place where Spring comes late and where there is almost perpetual daylight in midsummer. It is home for a time to black throated divers (who mate for life), hen harriers, golden plover, dipper and grey wagtail. We saw greenshank with chicks and superb pictures of a hunting golden eagle. But who will forget the final entrancing views of a mountain hare in the snow? Really beautiful, and a fitting end to a good evening, I thought.
Brian Shreeve
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Come and join our February Events
North West Surrey RSPB Local Group welcomes you all to come and join our monthly events. If you like them you are welcome to join our small but very friendly group. See the website for details.
Wednesday February 11th.
Virginia Water (finish by 13:00).
Half day by car. We aim to do the 4.5 mile circuit of the lake looking for wildfowl and woodland birds. Meet in the large car park (charge - or use lay-bys on A30) off the A.30 at 09:30 by gate to lake. GR: SU 981 688.
Sunday February 22nd.
West Wittering.
All day by car. Winter wildfowl, divers, waders and seabirds are all possible. Meet at the west end of the car park at East head at 09.30. GR: SZ 766984.
Wednesday February 25th .
Awash with Birds.
A film show of two magical places in Norfolk - Snettisham and Titchwell RSPB
reserves, showing the wildlife there. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough.
For any more information about these events please check our events page or use our "contact us" page.
