It has been a harsh couple of months with temperatures in sub-zero and then wind chill coming in at -10. The Crook has had pack ice on the saltmarsh that on the spring tide landed 150mm of ice on the upper marsh, making it look like limestone pavement.
Figure 1 Pack Ice dropped out on high saltmarsh
Due to this our redshanks and lapwings have been very slow to get going with at time of writing only nine pairs of lapwing and seven birds sitting compared against eleven last year. On the other hand redshank pairs have increased by two to seven.
Bad weather precluded there have been several volunteer workdays on the reserve upgrading the car park with a bit more gravel and log surround to keep cars off the grass.
Another area for the volunteer work parties is to clear flotsam and jetsam off the saltmarsh tideline which involves walking the spring tideline. It is surprising how much fishing industry plastic and netting comes in.
The Crook being saltmarsh has land drains from the farmland behind us; this occasionally creates issues with our neighbours' drainage as siltation of drainage channels through the SSSI saltmarsh holds back drainage water in the system. The end result requires SNH consent for replacing silted pipes through the flood bank and drainage ditch clearing of affected area.
Most of our wintering whooper swan, geese and ducks have now moved off back north. Gadwall has had its first recorded pair on the reserve with possible one pair pintail and three pairs of wigeon. Snipe, both common and jack, have been recorded over the past two months, but as yet drumming has not been heard. Passerine birds have weathered well with good numbers of skylark, linnet, reed bunting and tree sparrows.
Figure 3Black-tailed Godwits
Wagtails and pipits have started moving north through the reserve along with other summer migrants such as wheatear and both bar-tailed and black-tailed godwits and common sandpiper.
Golden Plover hunkered down from the wind.