Roving at Rye Meads - Colin H.

Day to day operations at RSPB Rye Meads are run by two full-time and one part-time member of staff to keep the doors open 7 days a week from 9am-5pm. It therefore relies heavily on a brilliant team of volunteers - 79 of them in the last year! One of our more recent recruits, Colin, has been with us every Monday in our 'Roving' volunteer role, heading out onto the reserve as a friendly point of contact for our visitors. Colin has noted his thoughts and observations from a winter of volunteering here at Rye Meads for you all to enjoy below!

If you are interested in volunteering with us at RSPB Rye Meads, visit volunteer.rspb.co.uk to view the variety of different ways you can support us.

Roving Mondays - Colin Hull

In October reaching the age of 65 I reduced my hours of work and so have Mondays and Fridays for extra leisure. Having been involved with the RSPB and British Trust for Ornithology since my younger days I was looking around for things I may usefully do to share my knowledge with others and keep records of species and numbers. I contacted RSPB Rye Meads and so in November started as Roving Volunteer on Monday mornings ready to guide visitors in identification of what species are present, keeping records and species counts on my Birdtrack App. So, a few highlights of my observations from Nov - Feb.

I have always been interested in our winter visiting species and look out for Redwing and Fieldfare.  Sadly this season I have encounter very few Fieldfare either at Rye Meads or my other sites I regularly watch. Redwing on the other hand have occurred in small flocks of at least 20+ at Rye Meads along the trails first feeding in the berry bearing trees and then on the ground under the trees.

There were reports in November of the scarce and elusive Bearded Tit but I did not get to see any until 23 Jan. I had a brilliant sighting of 4 in the reeds almost right in front of me near the Gadwall hide. Other visitors coming in the hope of seeing them have been less successful. Sometimes bird watching is a matter of luck. I have not yet been able to see the reported Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, but still hoping.

I have visited the Kingfisher Hub for short periods of time most weeks but only at the start of March did I get a brilliant view of one sitting near the nest bank for about 15 minutes. Other Kingfishers are occasionally seen at the Gadwall hide, flying or perched on a post to the left.

On a few occasions I have heard the short explosive song of Cettis Warbler. More often heard than seen as it skulks around in vegetation near the water side. A small dark brown bird and its song quite loud for small bird. Its one of those species relatively new to the UK that first began colonisation in 1972. Current UK population of about 3400 pairs. Judging by where I have located the singing there may be about 3-4 males currently on site.

Most weeks I have noted more than 200 Lapwing from the Gadwall Hide when water levels  have been lower and now water levels have fallen at the Drapper Hide some have noted some there too. As breeding season gets underway I suspect many will be dispersing to breeding grounds.

Among the ducks I noted last week a pair of Red Crested Pochard. Larger than a Pochard, the male has an orange-brown head with a red beak and pale flanks. Females are brown with pale cheeks. There is a large population in Spain and nearer but smaller numbers in France, Netherlands and Germany - and occasional wild birds may come to the UK from the Continent. The UK breeding birds almost certainly all come from escaped birds. UK breeding population about 20-40 pairs.

With the coming months I am looking forward to the arrivals and breeding of our avian summer visitors.