well at least two of them are...
It only seems a few weeks ago that we were embarking on another breeding season and now that it has finished I thought it was time to reveal this years results.
As the title suggets it has been a bumper year for the 'special' breeding species with the key ones doing very well. Avocets and marsh harriers have had a cracking year and two new breeding species for the reserve were recorded (all will be revealed later).
Avocets were first recorded breeding at Titchwell in 1984 but since the late 1990's their numbers have increased dramatically. This year has seen record numbers nesting on the brackish marsh with a peak of 79 nests in mid-June. It is always hard to assess how well the young get on as the adults usually take them across the seawall to the safety of the saltmarsh. Over 200 birds were recorded on the fresh marsh in July, many of them fledged youngsters, so it looks like they managed to survive.
Marsh harrier is also a species that started breeding in the early 1980's and again has increased at Titchwell in recent years mirroring the national population increase. This year we equalled the best ever breeding season with six nests fledging 16 young. Several of the youngsters are still present but many of them have already started the autumn migration to Africa.
Two male bitterns were recorded 'booming' for the second year running but unfortunatly we were unable to confirm the presence of any nests while bearded tit numbers remain stable with nine pairs located in the reedbed. Good views can be obtained from the Island Hide of family parties feeding along the reed edge.
A large slice of fortune led to the discovery of the first breeding record of common sandpiper for the reserve. While carrying out some management work on the fresh marsh we flushed a adult with a very recently fledged youngster from a large area of dense vegetation. This represented only the 8th breeding record for Norfolk and the first since 1980. Also recorded breeding for the first time this year was a pair of red crested pochards that raised five young.
Other breeding highlights included a pair of tawny owls using a nestbox near the Fen Hide, six territorial male Cettis warblers around the reedbed and recently a young water rail has been seen feeding along the edge of the fresh marsh.
All in all it has been a great year and hopefully there will be further good news to report next year.
Hi Kathy and Dave
The only way to locate a bittern nest is to observe a female flying back and forth to the nest to feed the young. This sound easy but as you know the reedbed here is big and a bittern is not that obvious in flight. To monitor the birds we have to spend up to 6 hours watching so if they are active we would see them.
Water rails are always difficult birds to see but they are easier during the winter months. A good place to see them is from the Fen Hide and around the feeders by the visitor centre!
All the best
Paul