As we approach the end of Minsmere's 70th birthday year, it seems appropriate that we end the year with the spotlight falling on one our most iconic species, the marsh harrier.
As recently as 1971, there was only one pair of marsh harriers remaining in the UK, here at Minsmere. (That statement gives me a good feeling, as by using the term "as recently as" to describe the year of my birth, I feel somewhat younger than I am!)
Marsh harriers had been declining through a combination of habitat loss, persecution, and the ongoing effect of poisoning through the use of DDT and other chemicals that were eventually banned int he late 1960s and early 1970s following campaigning work by the RSPB, and others, and the publication of Rachel Carson's influential book, Silent Spring. (If you haven't read it, it's well worth a read to understand how our use of chemicals had had a devastating impact on wildlife.)
Thankfully, careful management of Minsmere's reedbeds, and protection of their nest, helped that pair to nest successfully, and the population slowly increased. there are now around 400 pairs of marsh harriers breeding in the UK, as far north as Orkney and west to Somerset and South Wales, but East Anglia remains their stronghold, and barely a day goes by without a sighting at Minsmere.
Male marsh harrier by Jon Evans
Back in the 70s, marsh harriers were summer visitors to the UK, but as numbers have increased and winters have become milder, more and more marsh harriers now stay here throughout the winter. Recent roost counts have included 46 at RSPB Titchwell Marsh in North Norfolk and 24 here at Minsmere, so if you don't see one during the day then it's well worth staying at Island Mere until dusk, which is only about 3.30 pm at the moment.
Most of the harriers roosting at Minsmere in winter are females and youngsters. They're mainly dark brown, with creamy heads and should patches. The more colourful males, with their pale grey midwing and black wingtips tend to migrate farther south in winter, though a few do remain here, and on sunny days they've even started displaying already.
A flock of female marsh harriers by Steve Everett
Sadly, the closely related hen harrier is now a very scarce winter visitor and passage migrant at Minsmere, though a female-type ringtail hen harrier was seen here last week. This beautiful upland-nesting bird of prey prey is rapidly declining, partly due to persecution on their nesting grounds. The RSPB is working hard to reverse this decline and prevent the hen harrier from following it's cousin to the brink of extinction. Here's a petition highlighting the issue of driven grouse shooting - #RSPB agrees licencing is the right approach to drive up standards - please sign here.
Whilst waiting for the marsh harriers to come in to roost at Island Mere, you have a good chance of spotting a bittern, water rail, kingfisher or otter, and perhaps the small flock of Bewick's and whooper swans that often come to roost on the mere after feeding on fields to the south during the day.
The harriers aren't the only birds of prey to look out for either. A very pale common buzzard is often seen hunting over the reedbed, one or two peregrines may be hunting over the Scrape or resting on the Levels, and kestrels and sparrowhawks can be seen anywhere.
Out on the Scrape, around 2000 ducks are now present: teal, wigeon, gadwall, mallard, shoveler and shelduck can all be seen. Among them, look carefully and you might spot a male mandarin, on or two pintails or tufted ducks, up to 100 lapwings, a few snipe, up to 14 dunlins, one or two curlews, turnstones and redshanks or a single knot.
Smaller birds have been very visible in the woods this week, including treecreepers, marsh tits, goldcrests, great spotted woodpeckers, redwings, fieldfares and up to 100 siskins. Stonechats and a Dartford warbler can be seen in the dunes and a few linnets on either the Scrape or dunes. Cetti's warblers are beginning to sing again, and an over-wintering chiffchaff was spotted near East Hide today.
Fieldfare by Jon Evans
There won't be a species of the week next week, as Minsmere is completely closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but I'll continue to cast the spotlight on some of our 70 species to spot into the New Year as we're only halfway through the list, and it seems appropriate to continue the series into our 71st year.
Don't forget that you can continue to keep up to date with news from Minsmere over the Chrtistmas period via @RSPBMinsmere on Twitter and the RSPBSuffolk Facebook page.