As many of our humans’ visitors were enjoying the festive season, works were afoot to improve the Crook for many of our feathered friends and a few non feathered ones as well. The second part of our 2022/23 wetland project commenced just before the New Year and over the following two weeks the north part of the reserve was transformed into a myriad of pools and footdrains that has soon filled up with water. So why is this so important for our birds? Well, it not called a wetland for nothing and it is the nature of the habitat that attracts the many thousands of birds here in the winter and also provides the precise conditions for an elite selection of breeding birds.
Fields before the work
Just completed footdrain
footdrains filling with water
tractor in action
Two of things are critical for successful breeding waders such as Lapwing are water and mud, and they are closely linked, so no water no mud. Water is the key and with no direct feed in the fields any more the reserve relies totally on the rain that falls on it. Water creates the wet and muddy conditions that the bugs like and what waders like to eat. So, it is critical that as much water is stored on site before the drier months of spring. This will allow the water levels to slowly drop over the breeding season exposing wet mud initially for the adult waders to feed in but more importantly as the chick’s hatch, they will have areas to pick up food off the wet surface as they are too small to peck into the mud. Therefore, this work will not only store lots of water but there will be lots of exposed mud through the season.
Lapwing already taking advantage
Although the saltmarsh is not as colour fall as in the spring and summer, the proceeds of the flowering plants are deposited on the marsh. The seeds that the plants produce over the summer now provide many species of birds that extra boost of food over the winter. Reed Buntings, Skylark and Goldfinch all resident at the reserve can remain here through the winter due to the abundance of see in the marsh. Other species such as the Twite will move from there mountain breeding areas to take advantage of this food source, as seed in the mountains will likely to be covered in snow. Listen on for the flock as they busily move around the marsh. They are quite regularly seen collecting grid from the car park or having a quick drink from the Lagoon.
Twite flocking around the reserve
The Warden, RSPB Crook of Baldoon