If you've been paying even the slightest bit of attention to the news over the last couple of weeks, then you will definitely know what’s been making the headlines. The good old British weather. The continuation of floods across many regions throughout the UK, and the seemingly constant downpour of rain and battering wind have given us a lot to talk about. Not only due to the problems that are has caused for many people, but for our wildlife as well.
A once busy public footpath soon becomes inaccessible as the River Anker bursts its banks as a result of this seasons heavy rainfall in Tamworth, UK.
With my local river bursting its banks, then dropping back down again, then swelling in size once more, it’s come as no surprise to me that I haven’t seen or heard of the kingfishers for a little over a month now. It is more than likely that they will have moved to find a more suitable location to set up a nest that is less at risk to becoming flooded, though I will be sure to keep my eyes and ears open for them! Have you noticed the weather affecting any of the wildlife in your area? If so, please tell us by commenting below. One such example of how the wildlife has been affected by our weather recently came to me when I was working away at replying to some of our readers emails for the Natures Home magazine. One such email really stuck out for me, as it highlighted how this weather can impact our local wildlife. It was an email from a reader who had found a dead bird on her patio, and upon first inspection they were perplexed as to its ID. I looked over the attached images and confirmed that it was in fact a wood pigeon chick, barely a week or so old. Initial concerns were about it being too early for chicks to be hatching, but wood pigeons are amongst the first garden birds that will breed and rear their chicks, and have been known to breed in all months of the year. What was more concerning was the fact this poor little bird had fallen victim to the high winds that parts of the country have been experiencing. With more storms forecast over the following days, there was more concern as to how this would affect any other early broods. Not only has it raised concerns for our beloved birds, but it got me thinking about the rest of our UK flora and fauna. In the regions that have been badly affected by flooding, how have these natural systems coped? Has anyone seen any signs to suggest how they've been affected? It may well be that we will only really see the impacts on our wildlife and environment as surveys are conducted, and the latest reports come in. One such report that was released by Natural England in January, stated that 48 SSSI’s (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) have been affected with 37 of them said to be of international importance, though this number may well have risen over the past few weeks with continued stormy conditions. With the surge of seawater making its way inland around the coast, not only are there reports of sea birds being washed away by the strong winds and high waves, but important freshwater habitats are at risk as salty seawater leaks its way inland, making the long-term prospects of the wildlife that depend on these habitats unclear.
This image of a guillemot, taken in April last year, shows just one of several sea birds that I encountered on the beach near Filey Brigg, along the Yorkshire coastline. Reports around this time suggest that storms were the probably cause of the numerous dead birds that had been found washed up on shore. It is hoped that our sea bird colonies survive the worst of this seasons stormy weather.
I realise that the topic of flooding is one that is very popular as of late, but the importance of getting this information out there is substantial. Only by knowing how people and the surrounding environment are being effected will we be able to really understand how to act in order to protect the best interests of those concerned, both now and in the future.If you wish to see more of my photographic work or contact me directly, please visit my website at www.edmarshallwildimages.co.uk like my facebook page (Ed Marshall Wild Images), or even follow me on Twitter @edmarshallphoto!