Here's the latest installment from new blog-writer, Paula:
After the astounding reaction from my last blog (ha-ha) I figured I would give this writing lark another go. If you weren't one of the many million that read my last post, then here's a quick summary: I’ve volunteered at RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands for just over two years. I'm hardly a seasoned birder, but I absolutely love nature. My aim is to keep learning, and this blog will bring you along on my journey of discovering more about the beautiful landscape and wildlife of the RSPB Dee Estuary nature reserve, hopefully inspiring you to visit and experience it all for yourself.
So, ‘Spoonbills and water lilies’? Why that title? Well, to be honest, my plan was to write just about spoonbills, with all sorts of awe-inspiring information. Then I realised that the only thing I had taken photos of were water lilies, so in a last minute change to the programming schedule, I have decided to dedicate this blog to not one, but two of my summer highlights.
On Wednesday it will be exactly three months since the unexpected arrival of four spoonbills at Burton Mere Wetlands; not immediately obvious, as they took up residence in the little egret colony in the treetops of Marsh Covert. Over the following weeks, the count gradually climbed as new individuals found the party, and there was even a suggestion of nest-building activity in July.
Since last week, the spoonbill flock has peaked at 12 birds, doubling the previous record count on the Dee Estuary set in 2009. Visitors keep asking “Where are they coming from?” and “Will they stay all winter?” and the short answer to both is “We’re not sure!”; it has been a good summer for spoonbill sightings in the North West, but the dozen can’t all be accounted for in the region before they took up residence on the Dee.
Spoonbills by Sam Ryley
From somewhere, they have just kept appearing on the main scrape in front of the Reception Hide – much easier to get an accurate count than when up in the trees with the herons and egrets – to the delight of the reserve team and our visitors alike. We’re in somewhat unchartered territory for numbers, timing and duration of stay on the reserve, which is why we’re waiting with baited breath to find the answers as much as you are!
Inspired by our visitors’ questions, I decided to do a bit of research on these elegant (if rather comical-looking) creatures. To be fair, my first attempt didn't go amazingly well. I learned a great deal about roseate spoonbills, which are a lovely pink colour but reside on the other side of the Atlantic; not really relevant to our Eurasian counterparts.
More digging around uncovered some goodies; spoonbills belong to the family Threskiornithidae (which I would never be able to pronounce even on a good day) along with ibis species. Most spoonbills in the UK are visiting from Western Europe, although a small but growing number do overwinter here. Occasional, isolated breeding attempts have occurred in various locations with mixed success, however since 2010 a small breeding colony has established on the Norfolk coast. The Dee Estuary Birding website recently wrote an excellent piece on the history of spoonbills both nationally and locally, which is well worth a read, here.
With breeding success in East Anglia, and a possible climate-induced Northward spread like the egrets, there’s hope that spoonbills may become a regular fixture on the Dee Estuary reserve; fingers crossed for next year! The RSPB website has a useful page to find out more about the birds themselves, here. However, all you really need to know about spoonbills is they're easily seen and hugely entertaining to watch, so if you haven't made it down to Burton Mere Wetlands to see them yet, what are you waiting for?!
Meanwhile, taking a short wander along the Burton Mere trail around the old fishery ponds, you may notice the charming ornamental lilies on the Mere itself that have been a firm fixture even since before the RSPB moved in. Carpeting the pools, they look brilliantly exotic during the summer months, but they are also incredibly useful to another special resident of the reserve.
Lily by Paula Rees
The lily pads provide an important platform for red-eyed damselflies to perch, await a mate and even copulate! If you scan the lily pads with a keen eye (and a pair of binoculars is even better), you should spot their delicate blue-grey bodies. They also serve as an essential part of the ecosystem, keeping the water cooler in the summer months as well as giving shade and shelter for underwater life.
If, like me, you have ever wondered how they manage to survive merely floating on the surface, then you may be somewhat surprised to learn that their stems reach the bottom of the pond and their roots are firmly implanted in the mud. Not only this, but they also provide great photographic material; at least they don't fly away when you've managed to set up your perfect shot!
Lilies by Lynne Greenstreet
As much as Burton Mere Wetlands is known and loved for its great bird diversity, I’m finding it is also home to an incredible array of fascinating plants. Most of these I cannot name, but I keep trying to learn; something else to add to the countless birds, trees and insects that I endeavour to learn...
This is going to be some journey; until next time, see you at ‘the Mere’!