As autumn slowly ebbs into winter and temperatures dwindle into single figures, the slightest hint of cold air can make me retreat further into my downy bed. Getting up early on a wintery morning goes against common sense and hibernation seems a solid plan.

Surprisingly, only a handful of wildlife in the UK truly hibernate hedgehogs, hazel dormice, and bats. A few other species, such as badgers and red squirrels enter…

Trees and hedgerows are vital for wildlife as food plants, shelter and housing. From small invertebrates to hedgehogs, from fungi to badgers, so many species of fauna and flora depend on these habitats all year round. The benefit of trees and hedgerows to humans also can’t be underestimated, who can resist the sound of trees rustling in the wind or the branching shade of a large oak on a sweltering day.

National…

Welcome to the latest summary of what has been seen at Titchwell this week.

Visitor centre / car park / meadow trail / fen hide

With it still being mild for this time of year many of the woodland and garden birds are finding plenty of food within the scrubs, so are not using the bird feeders as much.

There is the odd brambling near the visitor centre and goldcrests are scattered amongst the trees. A small flock of g…

Wynona Legg, Ringed Plover Project Officer, updates about our exciting funding news Header image: Ringed plover fledgling taking its first flight. Credit: Phill Gwilliam We are thrilled to announce that our Plovers in Peril project, workin...

Recent sightings – 14/11/2021

Variety is the spice of life and there has been plenty of that at Titchwell this week.

Meadow trail / fen trail / visitor centre

The red-breasted flycatcher remained on the meadow trail until Sunday 7 November and two yellow-browed warblers were reported in the area on the 6 November. Flocks of siskins, lesser redpolls and bramblings have been flying over and dropping into the top of…

We’re delighted to be partnering with Netflix and Aardman on Robin Robin, a half-hour, stop-motion, festive story for the whole family, about a young robin trying to fit in. It’s debuting on Netflix on 24 November – get the date in your diary! To celebrate, we’re inviting you to join exclusive Robin Robin-themed adventure trails right here at Titchwell Marsh this Christmas season.

Over 30 RSPB…

Welcome to this weeks round up of what has been sighted at RSPB Titchwell and it has ended up being a great week. Below is just a short summary of what has been recorded by the team and visitors. 

 

Car Park / Visitor Centre / Meadow trial

With the first frost of the year, the seasons are certainly changing. Large numbers of starlings continue to pass through throughout the day. Several hundred redwings have dropped into…

Wynona Legg, Ringed Plover Project Officer, tells us about our Plovers in Peril Project going on tour

It may not be breeding season, but beach nesting birds never stop needing the support of their local communities. The Plovers in Peril project team have been spending time with the local community this half term, doing what they do best and sharing their love for ringed plovers and oystercatchers which breed on Norfolk…

Hello,

Welcome back to our updates on the Freshwater Habitats Project at RSPB Titchwell funded through Life on The Edge

October highlights

October has been an amazing month on the reserve for birdlife.

As you approach the freshwater marsh you can hear the whistling sound of a thousand golden plover who are enjoying the newly created bunds to roost on. A dotterel snuck in amongst the golden plover flock on the 4^th October…

Hello,

It has been another great week on the reserve with over 100 species being recorded again on Sunday 24 October, this time by one of roving rangers.

Car park / visitor centre

Chaffinchs, siskins and bramblings are chattering away to each other at the top of the alder trees around the visitor centre. Flocks of these finches have also been migrating through in a constant trickle all week. A hawfinch flew east on Tuesday…

The star bird of this week has been a grey phalarope which is delighting visitors with its dizzying feeding behaviour, that involves spinning in a clockwise direction stirring up insects to feed on at the surface of the water. Grey phalaropes breed in the high Arctic including Alaska, Canada, Svalbard and northern Siberia. During the winter months they will spend their time of the west coast of South African and western…

In the past week there has been a lot of birds on offer at RSPB Titchwell, over 130 species in fact!!

With friends visiting at the weekend, I spent Sunday birding the reserve and with a little effort ended the day with 102 species, and that even includes missing several passerine species!

Car park / visitor centre

Starting at the car park and visitor centre area there are small numbers of siskins, bramblings and lesser…

Rising from my bed earlier than usual brought with it a tinge of anticipation. Grabbing an extra fleece, a flask of hot chocolate and a pair of binoculars I felt prepared. It was strange driving off in the dark but as the light lifted so did my excitement.

A low cloud of mist covered the sky but even in the dimness I could make out shapes shifting on the horizon. Snettisham reserve. High tide. Tens of thousands of waders…

Recent Sightings – 7/10/21

Over the past couple of weeks, we have welcomed back a number of our wintering favourites including pink-footed geese and dark-bellied brent geese whilst some of our summer friends continue to linger including spoonbills and sandwich terns. With so much variety around it was great to hear that one visitor managed to record 92 species in an afternoon on the reserve!

Visitor centre / car…

Our Ringed Plover Project Officer, Wynona, answers the question 'where do the beach nesting birds go in the winter?

Nestling into October, there is a crispness in the air, skeins of geese are filling our skies and morning mists hang over our parks and gardens as we fling open the curtains to greet our day – it can only be autumn! In just a matter of months, the natural landscape changes significantly and the birds…

Our Visitor Experience Manager, Carrie, talks to us about how nature can support our wellbeing. 

We all know that long periods of concentration, whether at work, home, or school, can leave us feeling physically and mentally drained. Thankfully, nature has the capacity to help fatigued parts of our brains recharge and even a short spell sitting under a tree can work wonders. Plenty of studies show that ‘micro-breaks’ are…

Welcome to the latest update of the freshwater habitats project at RSPB Titchwell Marsh. 

If you missed out on our previous update you can find it here

Over the past couple of weeks the contractors, RSK, have continued the transformation of the freshwater reedbed to benefit the wildlife that are dependent upon this habitat. 

Continuing with the last blog, the contractors have now completed raising the central bank that runs…

Since the last update the contractors have moved from the Freshmarsh and started the restoration work within the reedbed. Currently, the reedbed is in a poor state, with overgrown banks, and banks that leak water between different compartments, which makes it challenging to manage the water levels for the key species (bittern, bearded tit & marsh harrier), and the ditches are clogged with reed resulting in poor fish connectivity…

Hello!

Well that’s a wrap! The 2021 season for beach nesting birds has now come to an end at Snettisham and Heacham South beach.

This year, with your support we have helped to protect 44 pairs of ringed plovers from combined sites at RSPB Snettisham reserve (21 pairs), the Plovers in Peril stretch from Snettisham beach to Heacham South (20 pairs) and the 3 pairs we monitored at Heacham North. Add in the birds supported…

The transformation of the freshmarsh has continued and is edging nearer completion. 

The two new bunds are completed, though we have left a gap in the north - south bund to allow water to continue to flow through the reserve until we install the new water control structures.

 

New west - east bund featuring close ups of Ruff, Lizzie Bruce

Thirteen new nesting islands have been created, significantly increasing the available…

This week we have been treated to northerly winds creating the right conditions for some sea watching and a small arrival of migrants.

Car park / visitor centre

At this time of year, a slow walk and pause around the extension car park is worthwhile. Within the tit flocks this week there has been several chiff chaffs, the odd willow warbler, families of blackcaps, 2 garden warbler and several goldcrests. A second pied…

Titchwell was on form this weekend with visiting birders recording more than 80 species in just a couple of hours and with the winds switching to the east combined with rain the first of the autumn migrant passerines dropped in.

Car Park / Visitor Centre

Spending some time slowly walking around the reserve car parks at the weekend, family groups of blackcaps can be seen foraging on the brambles. Other birds of note in…

Since the last update on the Freshwater Habitats Project, the transformation of the Freshmarsh is well underway. 

The pump that was installed at the beginning of August has been working most weekdays to keep the water off the Freshmarsh to allow the contractors to move and shape the material. This has created fantastic feeding opportunities for the wading birds, the ringed plovers are particularly enjoying this with over…

The Titchwell Birdfest continued this week with birds scattered across the reserve but in many cases, especially at this time of year you might need to look a little harder.

Following the breeding season which requires a substantial amount of energy, many of the birds can look a bit rough around the edges. They therefore undergo a moult which in some cases can reduce their ability to fly, therefore they tend to remain…

Our Ringed Plover Project Officer, Wynona, brings you the latest from Plovers in Peril on Snettisham and Heacham South beach...

Photo: Ringed plover nests (photos taken during nest monitoring work)  

These are the jewels on our shingle.

Gifts from a beach nesting birds labour and toil.

Every one of these nests is a legacy for their future but they are our legacy too.

The future of a coast brimming with life lies in these…