We are in awe of a family of ringed plover who have defied the odds this season after hatching three chicks from a nest located within feet of a wildfire. The parent birds bravely protected their eggs from the fire and a myriad of other challenges imposed by a busy beach full of visitors and hungry predators. Two of the hatched chicks made it to fledging and we were delighted to see these little miracles take to the skies this August!
The ringed plovers and oystercatchers breeding on the beach at Snettisham and Heacham are monitored and protected by staff and volunteers as part of Plovers in Peril, a project that is being delivered in partnership with Wild Ken Hill and aims to secure a safe future for these two globally declining species.
A fire that affected a small area of Wild Ken Hill close to the beach on the 19th of July during the hottest day on record in the UK included damage to habitat at the edge of the beach, just feet away from where vulnerable beach nesting birds were incubating their eggs on the sand and shingle.
A ringed plover nest. Image credit Les Bunyan. Taken with a telephoto lens.
Ringed plovers lay their eggs on the exposed upper beach from April through to August. At the time of the fire in late July, most of these vulnerable birds’ eggs had hatched and small chicks were mobile enough to move down to safety of the shoreline. One pair of ringed plover however were still incubating their three precious eggs as the fire raged behind them!
When we returned the following morning to check on them, we were amazed to find the adult bird still sitting on the eggs. We recovered the nest camera in place to monitor the nest and returned to the desk to check the footage.
We were stunned to see the adult ringed plover sitting stoically on its nest as black smoke billowed behind and flames crackled on the camera’s audio. You could see vegetation wilting in front of the camera as the flames scorched the vegetation, but the bird stayed put – determined to protect the precious eggs and only leaving the nest for a brief minute - returning as soon as the worst of it had passed. With the camera recording temperatures over 50 degrees, these birds would have been experiencing excruciating heat: to stay on that nest despite the enormous level of threat shows just how unbelievably committed these birds are.
RSPB trail camera footage showing the adult bird incubating amongst black smoke from the fire. Image credit RSPB. Trail cameras are used for vital monitoring of these nests.
RSPB trail camera footage showing the adult bird incubating the eggs after the fire. Image credit RSPB. Trail cameras are used for vital monitoring of these nests.
In early August, the team couldn’t believe their eyes when they sighted three newly emerged chicks zooming about the nest on the upper shore. Astonishingly, the chicks had hatched!
One of the young chicks after the fire. Image credit Phill Gwilliam. Taken using a telephoto lens to avoid disturbance.
The edge of the nesting site after the fire. Image credit RSPB.
Project staff and volunteers monitor these birds each day through the nesting season, observing nesting activity and following the stories of each bird as they try to raise their families on these beaches. These birds face many threats here with the usual day to day challenges coming largely from off-lead dogs and people entering fenced areas in addition to natural predators looking for an easy meal.
We watched as the chicks grew and navigated the dangers of their world between feeding, rest and play. With all the challenges they face, making it to the end of each day was always met with a huge sigh of relief for both the team and for those who checked in on the chicks’ progress during their daily beach walks.
The two chicks growing bigger and stronger! Image Phill Gwilliam. Taken with a telephoto lens to avoid disturbance.
It is a tough life for these birds and sadly one of the chicks didn’t make it to fledging, but with time, plenty of all important food and a lot of support from mindful visitors, two of these three chicks took flight for the first time at the end of August - just in time for fences to be removed! With hope, these two siblings will be well on their way to exploring new coasts and who knows we may see them return to these beaches next season to start a family of their own!
Almost there! One of the chick's stretching its wings. Image credit Phill Gwilliam. Taken with a telephoto lens to avoid disturbance.
Volunteer and project photographer Phill spoke about seeing the chicks for the first time: "It's always amazing and often emotional to watch and photograph new chicks but these three were even more special given that many of the Team doubted they would hatch. Right from the start they appeared confident and robust despite the circumstances, which is why they came to be fondly known to the team as the miracle chicks. It came as no real surprise to have two fledge."
Ringed plover are red-listed in the UK, having undergone severe declines in recent years due to an ever-growing range of threats. During breeding season, the birds, their eggs and flightless young are vulnerable to natural dangers like predators, tidal flooding and habitat change but conservationists warn that increased pressure from people is also having a big impact on the bird’s ability to raise young successfully. Add to that, a rapidly changing climate where the risk of wildfires is set to increase; without help, these birds are face an uncertain future.
The coastal park is known for its abundant wildlife and diverse habitat of dune, marsh and scrub with rare species such as turtle dove and many ground nesting bird species as well as other wildlife breeding on this important site.
Dominic Buscall, Project Manager at Wild Ken Hill, said “The fire was a shocking event in which much wildlife sadly perished. Even though the area is already recovering, it was heartening to hear this news from the RSPB. Thankfully the fire only affected a small part of the Wild Ken Hill project and we are still open for guided tours for the rest of the year”
We hope visitors will continue to support these birds: Their ability to adapt and survive in such a dynamic and increasingly challenging environment is extraordinary but not limitless – they need time to adapt to the new threats posed by people and planet. They have more than earned their place here – we have a duty to ensure they are present in our future.
If these birds teach us anything, it is that nature is resilient, but more than ever it needs us to notice it and to protect it with everything we have – because it is everything we have. We must do what we can to help nature adapt alongside us as we all balance ourselves in a rapidly changing world.
Find out how many other chicks made it this season and how you have helped make that happen, by checking out our last post. https://bit.ly/3W1nztn
Thank you to our funders
Plovers in Peril is a partnership project between RSPB & Wild Ken Hill and has been generously funded by The Borough Council of Kings Lynn & West Norfolk through their Habitats Monitoring and Mitigation Fund, without which we could not have taken on this vital project.
We have also received generous funding from Natural England to make this work possible.
Thank you for protecting beach nesting birds by supporting us in our work.
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Inspired by the ringed plovers story and want to help?
For more information about the Plovers in Peril project or to register your interest for volunteering in the 2023 season please contact snettisham@rspb.org.uk