BLACK TAILED GODWIT
With the unseasonal heat of February fading into the more naturally tempestuous weather of March, I made my merry way up to North Norfolk to spend a couple of days. First port of call was Cley Marshes, a regular reserve for me but one I haven't been to for quite a while. The previously unseasonal weather has played havoc with the birds, with many having deserted altogether, and today was perhaps the worst birding I have ever had at the reserve.
Having had a nice coffee in the centre I descended onto the reserve. The footpath is shaped like a square treading round the edges of the reserve. First port of call when entering are the three fresh water scrapes looked over by hides. This is usually the best spot in the area and is good for waders on migration. Today over 100 AVOCETS were present, some maybe migrants, but most will probably spend the summer here. There was the odd TURNSTONE and RINGED PLOVER, but nothing of any note. GULLS don't nest at Cley in any numbers, like they do at Minsmere, with only a couple present on the scrape islands.
Moving away from the scrapes, the habitat turns to reedbed, which is a decent size here, maybe counting for half the reserve. Lots of MARSH HARRIER were seen floating over the reserve, they don't put any of the birds to flight, maybe because the birds were use to them, and maybe the fact that they fly too slowly to catch anything.
The path joins East Wall before taking a little detour to another hide, on a newly purchased part of the reserve. The path circuits wet grassland, and usually at this time of year the habitat is full of DUCKS like WIGEON, but there were virtually nothing today, all a victim of the strange weather. The hide wasn't particularly fruitful, but it provided shelter, as large parts of the reserve are open to the elements and the weather was coming in. A pair of EGYPTIAN GEESE was about all there was.
East Wall makes its way to the sea, but just before that, nestled behind the shingle stack is Arnold's Marsh, a great location to see WADERS. Unlike the fresh water scrapes mentioned earlier, this area is more briny and attracts estuarine waders. The usual culprits were about, including a GREY PLOVER. Some of the OYSTERCATCHERS and RINGED PLOVERS present, will no doubt nest here in the summer.
Heading out onto the beach and looking out to sea I was almost blown away, getting the full blast of the wind. I couldn't see anything out on the sea, it being too choppy, and the visibility being too poor. Walking along the water line, I could just about keep out of the wind, but it made walking difficult.
The last scrape of the reserve, North Scrape, viewable only from the beach, had a load of PINTAIL, with perhaps twenty present, but little else, it getting the full blast of the wind.
I was pretty much the only person present on the beach, the only other foolhardy person was a beach fisherman, braving the elements for the same reason as myself, to maybe catch something unusual in the extreme weather.
Apart from that the walk back was pretty uneventful, and as I made my way back to the centre I was able to relax and grab a coffee.
Unfortunately today was pretty poor bird wise, especially for a reserve like Cley. This is a great place, well known as one of the best in the country for birds, yet it could not be able to produce the birds. It just shows how much trouble the extremely unseasonal weather has had on wildlife, that even the best reserves can't compensate for it, it effects everything. It may be global warming or it could just be a freak event, but this sort of weather creates havoc. It is unknowable if the wildlife will be able to survive this, but freak weather on top of habitat destruction could possibly push wildlife over the edge, and we can look forward to more and more loss of our natural world.
With the unseasonal heat of February fading into the more naturally tempestuous weather of March, I made my merry way up to North Norfolk to spend a couple of days. First port of call was Cley Marshes, a regular reserve for me but one I haven't been to for quite a while. The previously unseasonal weather has played havoc with the birds, with many having deserted altogether, and today was perhaps the worst birding I have ever had at the reserve.
Having had a nice coffee in the centre I descended onto the reserve. The footpath is shaped like a square treading round the edges of the reserve. First port of call when entering are the three fresh water scrapes looked over by hides. This is usually the best spot in the area and is good for waders on migration. Today over 100 AVOCETS were present, some maybe migrants, but most will probably spend the summer here. There was the odd TURNSTONE and RINGED PLOVER, but nothing of any note. GULLS don't nest at Cley in any numbers, like they do at Minsmere, with only a couple present on the scrape islands.
CURLEW
Six WHITE FRONTED GEESE were present, these birds are very much a winter bird, they usually stick to traditional sites like North Warren, and these birds are my first record for this reserve. Of the DUCKS, SHOVELLER were probably present in the largest number, feeding in groups scooping up food with their shovel shaped bill.Moving away from the scrapes, the habitat turns to reedbed, which is a decent size here, maybe counting for half the reserve. Lots of MARSH HARRIER were seen floating over the reserve, they don't put any of the birds to flight, maybe because the birds were use to them, and maybe the fact that they fly too slowly to catch anything.
The path joins East Wall before taking a little detour to another hide, on a newly purchased part of the reserve. The path circuits wet grassland, and usually at this time of year the habitat is full of DUCKS like WIGEON, but there were virtually nothing today, all a victim of the strange weather. The hide wasn't particularly fruitful, but it provided shelter, as large parts of the reserve are open to the elements and the weather was coming in. A pair of EGYPTIAN GEESE was about all there was.
REDSHANK
The path went back to East Wall, and from here on the weather became seriously bad. Heavy winds mixed with pelting rain, were not the best when out walking on a raised footpath like East Wall, and there was no shelter. From now on birding was difficult, not just because of the weather, but also because the birds were hunkered down, and not flying or risking being exposed out in the open.East Wall makes its way to the sea, but just before that, nestled behind the shingle stack is Arnold's Marsh, a great location to see WADERS. Unlike the fresh water scrapes mentioned earlier, this area is more briny and attracts estuarine waders. The usual culprits were about, including a GREY PLOVER. Some of the OYSTERCATCHERS and RINGED PLOVERS present, will no doubt nest here in the summer.
Heading out onto the beach and looking out to sea I was almost blown away, getting the full blast of the wind. I couldn't see anything out on the sea, it being too choppy, and the visibility being too poor. Walking along the water line, I could just about keep out of the wind, but it made walking difficult.
The last scrape of the reserve, North Scrape, viewable only from the beach, had a load of PINTAIL, with perhaps twenty present, but little else, it getting the full blast of the wind.
TEAL
I was pretty much the only person present on the beach, the only other foolhardy person was a beach fisherman, braving the elements for the same reason as myself, to maybe catch something unusual in the extreme weather.
Apart from that the walk back was pretty uneventful, and as I made my way back to the centre I was able to relax and grab a coffee.
Unfortunately today was pretty poor bird wise, especially for a reserve like Cley. This is a great place, well known as one of the best in the country for birds, yet it could not be able to produce the birds. It just shows how much trouble the extremely unseasonal weather has had on wildlife, that even the best reserves can't compensate for it, it effects everything. It may be global warming or it could just be a freak event, but this sort of weather creates havoc. It is unknowable if the wildlife will be able to survive this, but freak weather on top of habitat destruction could possibly push wildlife over the edge, and we can look forward to more and more loss of our natural world.
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