Posted on behalf of James Smith - Visitor Experience Assistant
Recent Sightings
For many people, the period where we move from Autumn into Winter is the most exciting for wildlife sightings on the Dee Estuary and Burton Mere Wetlands. This is because many species of passage birds will be using the wider reserve to rest and refuel, whilst many winter visitors will be arriving, often in great numbers, to call the estuary their home for the winter.
As a result of this big movement of birds, anything is to be expected at this time of year, and visitors to the reserves haven’t been disappointed.
Throughout September passage waders started to move through on their epic journeys from the breeding grounds in Northern Europe to the wintering grounds of Africa. The Dee Estuary is a vital ‘service station’, allowing the birds to rest and refuel. Curlew Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Ruff and Little Stint showed well throughout the month.
Star sighting
The highlight of the wader passage this year was the arrival of three Pectoral Sandpipers at Burton Mere Wetlands. The Pectoral Sandpiper is a vagrant bird from North America, which nests from the tundra of easternmost Russia across Alaska and northern Canada, wintering in southern South America. One bird was first seen on 15 September and joined later that day by a second. The two birds, remarkably, were joined by a third bird on the morning of 29 September. All had departed by 2 October, but many visitors had a chance to see these uncommon waders up close, as they often fed on the main scrape immediately outside the Visitor Centre.
(Photo – John Hewitt – Two Pectoral Sandpipers)
At Parkgate, Spoonbills were seen throughout September and into October, with a peak of 14 on 23 October, often being easily seen from the promenade at Boathouse Flash. A Bittern was heard faintly booming towards the end of September within the reedbed at Burton Mere Wetlands. Visitors started to report fairly regular sightings of at least one bird within the reedbed from Marsh Covert hide, and at times flight views were obtained from the Visitor Centre. 13 Cattle Egrets were seen on the reserve on 7 September, and numbers have since risen to a total of 21, being seen well on a regular basis.
(Photo – John Hewitt – Cattle Egrets)
Warden wonderings
Autumn and Winter allows the warden team to undertake vital management work, which can’t be done whilst there are ground nesting birds during the Summer. A great deal of the recent management work has been focused on supporting a very mysterious creature; the eel. Eels are born in the Sargasso Sea, and using the Gulf Stream, reach the UK after 3 years as tiny elvers. With support from United Utilities and the Environment Agency, we have dug deeper ditches within the reedbed to allow them a safer refuge to hunt and feed. With the dug material, the warden team have created islands which will hopefully prove attractive for breeding Grey Herons, Great and Little Egrets, Spoonbills and Bitterns as the islands will give further protection from ground predators.
Some of the smaller trees on the meres have also been deliberately felled and left within the water. This is further habitat creation for eels and also perfect refuges for fish. It will also be perfect for Kingfishers to use as a hunting perch and diving ducks and egrets a rest area. An eel board for the elvers has been fitted to allow them access to the meres. Small management changes can often deliver great diversity opportunities as this work proves.
From the Visitor Centre, it is noticeable that the annual reed and rush cutting has been undertaken across the main scrape and the wet grassland. This is done to ensure that the habitat is in ideal condition in the Spring for breeding waders, such as Redshank and Lapwing, but also creates habitat for our winter geese to feed. The quality of the reedbed habitat has been shown by the sighting of an Otter, near dusk on 1 November. Otters famously will only live in clean waters with a ready food supply, so to see one on the reserve is a huge reward for all the hard work going into the management of it.
As the year progresses the types of birds you can expect to see changes, and this is very apparent in the birds of prey seen on the estuary. On 24 September a Hobby, a summer breeder, and a Merlin, a winter visitor were both seen off Burton point, a signal of the change in the seasons. Whilst the Marsh Harrier that bred here in the summer are continuing to be seen, they have now been joined by Hen Harriers, a winter visitor. One male and 3 ‘ringtails’ either being females or juveniles, have been seen on the estuary, delighting those lucky enough to see them. Also joining the harriers have been Short-eared Owls, and these can often be seen day-flying at Denhall Quay.
A female Long-tailed Duck dropped into the Border Pool on 18 October, and as of the time of writing, is still in situ. This is a lovely bird to see, one which is normally a sea duck.
We still have a family quiz trail out for the kids to enjoy and the don’t forget the Den Building area for all ages to enjoy.
Exciting news with the newest addition to the reserve…
Just over 12 months since breaking ground, it felt amazing to finally open our new café for the first time on Friday. We have fantastic feedback so far and the new members of the team are settling in nicely. Next time you visit the reserve, pop in to meet our lovely new team and see what’s on offer as our menu gradually grows.