The RSPB Magazine Winter/Spring 2024

The RSPB Magazine

Taking action for nature together

Make it count

Take part in 2024’s Big Garden Birdwatch

Colony crisis

The latest census reveals our seabirds are struggling –what are we doing about it?

Winter/Spring 2024

Winter wonders The sights and sounds of RSPB nature reserves

Designed for nature

Explore Dr Amir Khan’s wildlife-friendly garden

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Field Sales Events

North and Midlands Hauxley Nature Reserve, Northumberland 14, 28 Jan / 11, 25 Feb / 10, 24 Mar / 14, 28 Apr

North Cave Wetlands, East Yorkshire 7 Jan / 4 Feb / 3 Mar / 7 Apr

Tophill Low 21 Jan / 18 Feb / 17 Mar / 21 Apr

South and East

Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Kent 7 Jan / 10 Mar

South and West Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, Hampshire 30 Jan / 27 Feb / 26 Mar

Dawlish Warren, Devon 3 Mar

Portland Bird Observatory, Dorset 21 Jan / 18 Feb / 17 Mar

Slimbridge Village Hall 28 Jan / 25 Feb / 24 Mar

Stanpit Marsh, Christchurch Harbour 4 Feb

All events from 10am - 4pm. For latest information call 01727 827799 or visit www.infocusoptics.co.uk

In Focus South West at Toghill House Farm

Open Wednesday to Friday 10am-4pm plus regular Saturdays, phone for details. Set in the beautiful Cotswold countryside with stunning views across the Severn Valley. Just a 15 minute drive from M4 Junction 18.

Reading - just over an hour. Swindon - 40 mins. Cheltenham - 1 hour. Bristol/Bath - 25 mins.

Cheltenham

Beccy Speight

Finding a way forward together

Beccy Speight has been the RSPB’s Chief Executive since 2019 and has led the organisation through some of nature’s most urgent challenges.

@beccyRSPB

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to visit Shetland. Our northernmost isles were rugged and spectacular, wild and beautiful. It can be an unforgiving environment but I’m pleased that the RSPB team that calls them home was doing incredible work to save the islands’ wildlife, restore peatlands and, most importantly, were firmly part of a thriving local community with nature at its heart.

During my time on the island of Fetlar, I went for an after-work dip in the sea. Whilst floating in the late afternoon sun staring at the sky, I had one of those amazing moments that nature sometimes gifts us. From seemingly out of nowhere, their shrieking calls announcing their arrival, I was surrounded by feeding Arctic Terns, dipping and diving into the water around me. After only a minute or so, their departure was just as sudden and the silence they left behind seemed deeper. Later that evening as I recounted my experience, I realised that the Shetland water had been cold but, surprisingly and perhaps worryingly, not teeth-chatteringly so.

I am writing this in early September, and we’ve just experienced what I assume will be the last hurrah of summer – a week of unseasonably high temperatures of up to 30°C in the south of England. Alongside a summer of global climatic catastrophes, such as the Libyan floods and European forest fires, it seemed perhaps like we had got off lightly, but the significance of these unusual weather events cannot be overstated.

The science is patently clear. Our world is warming and we, humanity, are to blame.

‘All of this, climate change, the loss of nature, can feel so utterly overwhelming. But we absolutely know how to turn things around’

The results are complex and sometimes counterintuitive, but the data doesn’t lie.

The latest State of Nature report released in September showed that climate change is one of the biggest drivers of the loss of nature across the UK. Climate change has caused major changes to nature on land and at sea, including range shifts, population changes and disruption to food webs. And not all species will fare equally. While warmth-adapted species such as egrets and Bee-eaters are likely to continue to expand their numbers across the UK, montane species, such as the Dotterel and the Ptarmigan, on the edge of their ranges in the UK, will be squeezed out. And for many of our native species, nesting will become increasingly mismatched with peaks in the insect food sources essential for their chicks. It’s only by the extensive monitoring and recording that has gone on for more than 50 years that we can be sure of what the data is telling us. We are in debt to the army of volunteers, enthusiasts, professionals and semi-professionals who have all added to our knowledge of the UK’s wildlife.

You – our members and supporters – continue to play your part, too. Thanks to you, the Big Garden Birdwatch has been a stalwart of the citizen science scene for more than four decades. It returns for its 45th year in late January and is another example of how important the long-term monitoring of our wildlife is, showing us changes in the make-up of our garden birds over time.

All of this, climate change, the loss of nature, can feel so utterly overwhelming when viewed in its entirety. But the heartening thing is we absolutely know how to turn things around. The State of Nature report not only showed the full extent of the loss, it also pointed to a way forward. A way in which we can help nature return. It provided clear, actionable solutions. But they need to happen with urgency and at far greater scale. That’s all it takes for us to breathe clean air, swim in clean rivers, and enjoy green spaces with abundant and thriving wildlife. Our politicians need to act now, in response to this seminal report, before it is too late.

Discover

This season

10 Wildlife challenge: learn the differences between winter grebes

11 Designed by nature: Dominic Couzens shares the science of shiny feathers

12 Photography: capture your garden birds in all their wonder this winter

13 Nature notes: Nicola Chester on the power of collective birdwatching

15 Tiny & wild: essential workers –Dr Ross Piper celebrates our insects

Comment

05 Beccy Speight: exploring the future of our warming world

33 Simon Barnes: the marvellously extraordinary east coast of England

55 David Lindo: supporting city farms

Action for nature

37 People: a new series of Winterwatch returns to RSPB Arne

41 Policy: the first peatland registration project in NI has been certified

44 Species: the latest seabird census

Features

18 Wildlife: get to know 2023’s Big Garden Birdwatch top 10 ahead of the next count

26 Bigger picture: Mike Unwin investigates the challenges facing our seabirds on land and at sea

48 Nature reserve: embracing the beauty of RSPB Medmerry and Pagham Harbour in the winter months

71 Our work: a guide to the best sights to see on our nature reserves this season

82 Takeouts: three things to try after reading this issue

Together for nature

57 Your say: your letters and stories

60 Your photos: share your wildlife pictures with us

62 Your gardens: Adrian Thomas visits the eclectic garden, designed for wildlife, of RSPB President Dr Amir Khan

66 Your questions: the RSPB team answer your wildlife queries and solve species ID mysteries

Find out how, with your support, we’re helping our struggling seabirds on page 26.

Photo: Guillemot –bridled form. Nature Picture Library (Alamy Stock Photo)

the secrets of your favourite familiar garden birds

This season

What to see in nature | Great days out | Ways to help wildlife

Species Winter visitors

Short-eared Owls from northern Europe and Russia travel to the UK to benefit from plentiful and easily accessible food during the winter. Sometimes they’re found resting on oil rigs or boats as they make the long journey here over the sea.

The owls that have come for winter have flown from areas where frozen ground and snow would severely reduce their access to their prey, mainly voles. Vole numbers are cyclical; a bad year for voles means fewer owls successfully fledge. It seems that the owls had a good breeding season in 2023, with many seen arriving here in late autumn.

A number of these birds will linger by the coast over winter, hunting over saltmarsh and wet grassland, often roosting together on the ground. They may be seen out during the day, as well as dawn and dusk.

Words: Jamie Wyver. Photo: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.co.uk)

White on plumage is caused by bubbles in the keratin refracting white light back.

Designed

by Nature Dominic Couzens

Shiny feathers

Iridescence is also seen in Cormorants, Mallards, Kingfishers and Rock Doves.

The position of the feather and the angle it’s viewed at can change the colour we see.

What’s the science behind the magnificent iridescence of some bird’s feathers?

The winter landscape would be a great deal duller without the bright and bold colours of birds. From the kaleidoscope of colours on a Blue Tit to the iridescence on a Magpie’s tail, they bring joy to the sludgy landscape. The colours themselves are amazing enough, but the sheer complexity of plumage hue production is mind-boggling.

The colours of feathers come from two main sources, the best known of which are pigments. These are molecules that absorb all wavelengths except particular ones, such as reds, which are therefore reflected back to the observer. There are two main types of pigments. Melanins are responsible for sober colours, from the matte black of a Carrion Crow to the browns and greys that often confer camouflage – the patterns on waders’ and owls’ plumage are examples. Carotenoids tend to reflect brilliant, bright colours such as yellows and reds, seen on the breast of Blue Tits to the red face of a Goldfinch.

The other source of colour comes from the internal structures of the feathers themselves, and the way they split, rather than absorb light – like a rainbow or the colours on a bubble. Keratin has a different refractive index to air, so it duly bends the different wavelengths out. The mechanisms behind this are very complicated, because the effects come from inert and colourless structures, such as the keratin that makes up the feather, and the air within the keratin matrix. Bubbles of air in the feathers may simply reflect all wavelengths back, producing white plumage.

DID YOU

KNOW?

The structures that lead to iridescence also strengthen the feather and may even have anti-microbial properties.

wavelengths of light when you see them from different angles. The dazzling array comes from the remarkable ability of these nanostructures to ‘capture’ and amplify very specific wavelengths in the spectrum. Within the keratin, the structures consist of tiny layers of melanin, the gap between them equivalent to wavelengths – large gaps for red, for example, and small gaps for blue. Although iridescence is found in many different bird groups – and it is obviously used for showing off – males are often more iridescent than females. However, its original function is not certain.

The extraordinary phenomenon of iridescence derives from incredibly small, crystalline structures in the branchlets (barbules) of feathers. These are 3D structures, so they can reflect different

is a

and tour leader living in Dorset. Visit birdwords.co.uk or @DominicCouzens

Dominic Couzens

wildlife writer

Feather structure at a microscopic level causes iridescence. Light scatters from layers of melanosomes and tiny air pockets.

Melanin in the feather structure absorbs all the light, so the bird looks black.

Starling

birds

Top tips for capturing your garden visitors over this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch weekend

Setting the scene Place food in photogenic areas to entice birds there. Move the food around throughout the day for variety! Try placing beautifullooking perches next to your bird feeder to photograph the birds on something natural. Move the perches and switch them up to get the same bird with different backgrounds! There’s also nothing wrong with photographing birds on what is already in your garden, putting them into context with their surroundings. That might be on the shed roof, the fence or if you leave a spade dug into the ground you might get a bird on the handle!

Come rain or shine There really is no bad weather to photograph your garden birds in, and on the weekend of Big Garden Birdwatch you really have little choice! So, whether it’s raining, sunny or even snowing get out there and create images! Rain can actually add something to an image – shoot against a dark background so the rain shows up well and slow your shutter speed right down to capture longer streaks. If we are lucky we might get snow; snow can help hide unsightly elements to the garden, so think about capturing a familiar species such as a Robin in a pure-white world!

Be prepared! If you have a large enough garden you can set up a hide. If not then make use of shooting out of one of your windows. You can also consider using your shed; shooting from the doorway or a window using some camouflage material with a hole cut out for your lens. The great thing about a shed is that the birds will likely already be used to it! As well as your usual garden regulars you may get the occasional rare visitor, and this makes for a great photo opportunity. Look out for the likes of Black Redstart, Jay, Pied Wagtail, Brambling or even Waxwing and be ready to capture that shot!

Photography Ben Andrew Garden

Waxwing

Robin

Blackbird

TAKE

PART

The Big Garden

Birdwatch is an invaluable piece of citizen science. Learn more about our most reguarly spotted garden visitors on page 18.

Ben Andrew is an award-winning wildlife photographer. @benandrewphotos

Woodpigeons

Look out for behaviours Birds will often squabble over prime perches on the bird feeders. Be prepared for these sorts of squabbles; use a fast shutter speed to capture the action sharply, or a slow shutter speed to show the movement of the birds. You may even get birds using your garden to hold territory, so watch out for birds singing and displaying too! Keep your bird bath topped up for bathing shots, or for something more natural have a regularly filled puddle or even a reflection pool. Build it at eye level (on a table) for perfect reflections and add mosses, ferns and pebbles.

Nature notes Nicola Chester Pass it on

The Big Garden Birdwatch and the author of The Hundred and One Dalmatians are inseparable to me. To borrow and subvert the opening line to a favourite book (and I’ve done it before), I do this sitting in the kitchen sink... “That is to say, my feet are in it, the rest of me is on the draining-board,” says Cassandra Mortmain, from I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. The fact that she is talking about writing isn’t lost on me – but this is also about birdwatching (specifically, bird counting) for the 45th Big Garden Birdwatch. The birds started me writing in the first place, and we really did used to count them, sitting in the kitchen sink.

Cassandra Mortmain, a girl on the cusp of womanhood in the 1930s, created by an author exiled in wartime, is full of yearning – both author and character trying to ‘capture’ the essence of the vivid present (bright as a Blue Tit, becoming ever distant) in an elegiac light. In so many ways, that essence is the years of doing Big Garden Birdwatch to me. I want to paint it in the urgent, elegiac light, of a fading biodiversity: capture its gentle activism for the joy, wonder, connection and health of life on earth for us all. Through neighbourly, friendly interaction, we could save the world through this lens, watching, counting, sharing the birds through glass. Was there ever a better excuse, or more important time, to stare out the window?

Last year, over half a million people named and numbered the wild birds. Extraordinary, when you think about it. And it’s important, not only because it

tells us how they are faring, but because it gets people interested in their wild neighbours and connects them. Imagine if those half a million people natureenthused to just one other person? I bet they did, anyway.

So much has changed in all those years we’ve been counting birds, including a serious decline in numbers and species, against the backdrop of the nature and environmental crisis. But I know too, our love, interest, knowledge and care has increased. More of our voices have been raised to include birds and other wildlife in the way we live our lives. The way I do my bird count has changed too. There are passing contributions from my husband and youngest daughter (who used to sit on the draining board, pushing her toes down the plug hole) but mostly, it is a steady pinging on my phone. My son is recording sparrows, Jackdaws (“A Fox!”) in Bristol, and my elder daughter, Goldfinches and gulls in Falmouth. Mum sends updates, other family check in, neighbours and the village WhatsApp, friends at work, X, Instagram – the chatter is all about birds.

And this is how we capture the power of this moment – the birds of the air, window boxes and gardens; this is how we enrapt a new audience of appreciation, care and love. We wave, call them over, bring them in, these latest champions for this wonderful wild world we share. This is how we capture the castle. Who would dare attack that?

Chester lives in Wessex with her husband, three children and dog. nicolachester.wordpress. com or @nicolawriting

Nicola

Photos: Ben Andrew

Goldfinch

This season

RSPBshop.co.uk

The Big Garden Birdwatch starter kit

Stock up on everything you need to keep your muchloved garden birds happy with this kit of essentials. For £20, you’ll get a window bird feeder, 1kg of buggy nibbles (suet pellets), 1.8kg of table mix, six super suet balls and three mealworm super suet cakes. These foods are suitable for a wide variety of birds, including Robins, finches, House Sparrows, Starlings and Blackbirds.

More ways to help nature

O Ground feeding table (£35), will keep your bird food (and visiting birds!) dry with its pitched roof.

O Avocet binoculars (£110), might be compact but they’ll ensure a clear view of your garden birds.

Out now Bookshelf

An Identification Guide to Garden Birds of Britain

Dominic Couzens and Carl Bovis, £14.99

A photographic guide to identifying and looking after 75 of our common garden birds, this book is a must-have ahead of the Big Garden Birdwatch.

RSPB ID: Wetland Birds

Marianne Taylor, £4.50

Learn all about our wetland birds, their habitats and conservation in this fold-out guide, complete with detailed illustrations by renowned artist Stephen Message.

The Green Gardening Handbook

Nancy Birtwhistle, £14.99

No matter what the size, Nancy has over 100 eco-friendly tips to help you make the most of your garden, as well as guides to freezing, storing and preserving what you grow.

Shopping with the RSPB Shop helps keep our world wild. Profits go to conservation, and all products are as nature-friendly as possible.

Botany for biodiversity Plants under stress

Plants are coming under increasing stress through climate change. We know nature is quick to regenerate, but the ecological impact of vast wildfires, pollution events and the simultaneous loss of interconnected ecosystems, cannot be overstated.

Climate action is needed now, and we can be encouraged by adaptations nature has undergone over evolutionary time: trees in fireprone areas develop thicker, burn-resistant bark and plants

are also capable of migrating. Eastern US Forest Service data shows three-quarters of species are advancing north and westwards, at between

Our people Three questions

Nick Skilbeck, Group Leader, Worcester and Malvern RSPB

Local Group

What sort of projects does the group get involved in? A bit of everything! We have six partner organisations and with them we’ve installed Sand Martin boxes on the River Severn; restored marsh and woodland on an intensively farmed flood meadow; transformed unused playing fields into a home for nature; and developed a private nature reserve with a local charity.

6 and 9 miles per decade. Scandinavian birches have established 500m further up higher altitudes in two decades and Alaskan alder and willow are growing up bare hills.

In the Financial Times last year, James Bridle, author of Ways of Being, said, “We’re so used to the idea that plants are rooted in place that such a revelation might shock us out of our complacency… we need to match them with our hope and will.”

Via the Wild Isles Community Fund you have raised money for your projects. How has the Aviva funding helped? The Aviva funding has been a game-changer. We have purchased 500 hedge plants to create new hedges on our flood plain nature reserve, as well as supplies to build 24 Barn Owl boxes. We have also purchased four high-tech camera nest boxes for schools. As technology develops, we intend to use acoustic monitoring devices to assist our bird and bat surveys. The Aviva funding has made us braver and more ambitious for nature.

How do you organise yourselves? We have a core team of committed people who run things, as well as help from brilliant RSPB staff. This work brings us joy, friendship and immense satisfaction. To join us, head to group.rspb.org. uk/worcester

Words: Nicola Chester. Photos: Kati Lenart, Frank Wolf, Jackie Bale (all Getty images), Mike Hails; Genevieve Leaper (rspb-images.com).

Illustrations: Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)

Willow tree

Nick Skilbeck

Tiny & wild Dr Ross Piper

Insects that help us

Insects do an awful lot for us, but we tend to overlook them. In terms of pollination, their value is difficult to overstate. Insects are the middlemen in the reproductive efforts of 80% of our plant species, moving pollen between flowers. The value of this crucial service is estimated at around £400 million per year, yet many of our pollinators are in decline. In a study of 377 of our bee and hoverfly species, 49% had become less widespread between 1980 and 2017. It’s important to remember that we have 275 bee species in the UK, all of which have their own habitat requirements and preferred sources of nectar and pollen.

At the other end of the spectrum we have the clean-up crew: the insects with the thankless task of breaking down organic matter and recycling the nutrients therein. Let’s consider the humble dung beetles – fascinating insects with the vital role of breaking down and recycling the droppings of mammals. Their proclivity for burying this material also greatly improves the soil and reduces CO2 emissions. Sadly, these dung dispatchers are struggling. Approximately half of the UK’s 60 dung beetle species are scarce or threatened. The over-use of worming products in livestock is an important factor in the decline of these valuable animals. The chemicals end up in the dung where they go on killing, this time the insects that feed on the dung.

Dr Ross Piper is an entomologist, zoologist and explorer. Visit rosspiper.net or @DrRossPiper

Identification

It’s not just bees that are important pollinators. Flies, wasps and beetles are important too. Indeed, flies are possibly the most important pollinators of all.

Not only do dung beetles remove dung and suppress pests, but their tunnelling improves soil structure and reduces surface run-off. They also feed lots of other animals and increase overall biodiversity.

Adult gulls

Learn the difference between these tricky-to-identify seabirds

Common Gull

Despite its name, this gull is not that common. It resembles a small Herring Gull but with all-dark eyes, greenish legs and a smallish yellow bill. In winter it has a streaked head and a duller bill with a dark band.

Herring Gull

Large and familiar, Red-listed Herring Gulls are the typical ‘seagull’. Their large size, pink legs, pale eyes and heavy bill complete with a distinctive red spot help separate them from the smaller Common Gull.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Similar in size to the Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gulls are sleeker-looking with longer, yellow legs. Their black wingtips have smaller white spots than a Herring Gull’s, which can be useful for identification.

Great Black-backed Gull

The largest gull in the world, similar in size to a Red Kite. With a jet-black back and upper wings, these birds stand out. Pink legs rule out confusion with the Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Bumblebee

Common Wasp

Water worlds Under the ice

Small bodies of fresh water – ponds, pools and lakes – might seem vulnerable to freezing conditions, but several adaptations prove the resilience of much aquatic life under the ice. Seasonal fluctuations mean some years are easier than others, and surviving animals and plants will compensate for deep-freeze years.

O Amphibians such as toads, newts and frogs pre-empt a freeze by leaving the pond altogether to hibernate under damp logs, rocks or compost heaps.

O Some frogs and newts hibernate at the bottom of the pond, gaining a head start on the breeding season, and can survive under ice, as long as there is some oxygenation.

OIf oxygen levels fall too low, toxins can build up in amphibian bodies, especially during long spells of freezing, resulting in the natural phenomena known as ‘winterkill’.

OTadpoles that haven’t had the right conditions to develop over summer can remain in the pond and overwinter, even through surface freezes, as tadpoles.

O Some beetles, dragonfly larvae and water boatmen hibernate at the bottom of ponds. Ice crystals form internally, drawing water out of vulnerable tissue, in effect, temporarily freeze-drying them.

OOther species, such as mayfly larvae and molluscs, protect themselves with natural antifreeze chemicals in their bodies.

OEarly frogspawn is also vulnerable, unless it is below the water.

Plants continue to photosynthesise, oxygenating water under ice, but snow lying on top prevents light getting through and plants can die.

Great days out

3 nature reserves to explore this season

With spring around the corner, make the most of winter wildlife on our nature reserves

Words: Nicola Chester, Jon Carter.

Photos: Iain Lawrie (Getty Images); Genevieve Leaper, Kevin Sawford, Andy Hay, (all rspb-images.com)

County Londonderry RSPB Lough Foyle

Look for geese, swans, ducks and waders close to shore, while out on the water divers, grebes and scoters may be seen.

Perthshire RSPB Tay Reedbeds

Keep an eye out for dazzling Bearded Tits skimming low over the vast reedbeds as you wander alongside the winding river.

Lincolnshire RSPB Frampton Marsh

The spectacular sight and sound of thousands of waders and wildfowl makes this nature reserve well worth a visit.

Emergent plant in a frozen pond

It is rare for a pond to completely freeze solid, but little can survive when it does.

Common Frog

Lapwing

With sustainability at their core, Hurtigruten work with the RSPB to bring members closer to wildlife and raise vital funds to help nature thrive. Scan the QR code to learn more about our partnership.

Cuisine that brings you closer

Hurtigruten’s Culinary Director, Øistein Nilsen has the spectacular job of overseeing the development of Hurtigruten’s Norway’s Coastal Kitchen. His responsibilities include strategic planning, concept and menu development, daily operations of all kitchens onboard the coastal fleet as well as sourcing, and working closely with, the local Norwegian farmers up and down the coast of Norway. We talk to him about all things seasonal food, local suppliers and favourite dishes.

What makes a Norwegian Coastal Voyage so special?

I’m the Culinary Director, so of course I will say the food! On a Hurtigruten Norwegian coastal voyage, its not just about the amazing coastline and the local communities, but it’s a journey through the world best dishes, produce and stories. Nature on the coast is truly spectacular, and the produce is of the highest quality.

How do you ensure your operations are as sustainable as possible?

One of my main priorities is enabling our chefs to take full advantage of Norway’s many specialist food suppliers, creating a truly authentic gastronomic experience for guests. By using locally sourced food, we reduce energy costs associated with transportation and refrigeration, and minimise the impact on the environment. Fresh ingredients, sourced in season always taste better and have higher nutritional value as the time between harvest and consumption is short. We always follow the seasons at Hurtigruten, so our guest can taste their way through seasons, regions and local suppliers.

How do you work with the local communities?

The local communities and suppliers are at the heart and soul of Norway’s Coastal Kitchen. Engaging with

sustainable farmers and fishermen year-round gives vital support to the local economy, benefiting families in the region. We now have around 70 local suppliers, and this number is growing each year. In spring, summer, and autumn, around 80% of what we use in our menu is produced in Norway. It’s truly amazing!

What is your favourite dish that you like to serve onboard?

That’s a hard question… I’m proud of all our dishes! They all represent food traditions, preservation methods, cultural heritage, and seasonal produce. If I need to pick one then I would say Norwegian scallops from Helgeland and sea urchin from Ecofang in Tromsø with smoked butter sauce, fermented cabbage with kelp from Hurtigruten’s seaweed farm. This dish has it all, the best shellfish in the world, plenty of local suppliers and seaweed from our own seaweed farm.

What do you love most about your job?

I love the opportunity to further develop Norway’s Coastal Kitchen. It’s a well-developed concept, but its still young. There is so much more we can do, and I’m really excited for the opportunities that are still to come!

5% Discount for RSPB members

10% Donation to the RSPB

Experience your own Norwegian adventure

Hurtigruten was founded in 1893 to be a lifeline for communities along the Norwegian coast and we’re just as much part of the community today. We don’t just show you the region, we invite you to become a part of it with us. Book a 12-day Classic Round Voyage, with regular departures from Bergen, in whichever season you prefer. Scan the QR code to learn more.

Familiar faces

Ahead of the 45th Big Garden Birdwatch, Dominic Couzens reveals fascinating and surprising facts about your garden birds

ate January is Big Garden Birdwatch time. Every year, many hundreds of thousands of people count the number of birds in their garden for a single hour over a weekend. Thanks to those of you who take part, this is now one of the biggest citizen science projects in the world and gives us an understanding of how some of our most common species are faring – casting a wide view of how wildlife is coping in our gardens and green spaces.

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Fighting male Blackbirds are often defending territory

1. Look for the Woodpigeon’s pink breast and white patch on the neck

2. Despite ranking at number two, the glossy Starling is a Red-listed species

3. House Sparrows are one of the world’s most widespread birds

4. Male Blue Tits have been shown to choose females with bright crowns as fitter mothers

But what of these garden birds, some of which you might encounter almost every day? How well do we really know them? Let’s dig a little deeper into the lives of the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Top 10 and reveal some of their unexpected secrets. There are aspects of their lives that might surprise you!

House Sparrow

This character could easily be called the ‘Home Sparrow’, because once it has settled into a colony, it stays for the rest of its life in a small, confined area, spending time with other birds that become very familiar. There are hierarchies among colony members; the dominant males are the ones with the largest area of black on the chin and breast, a feature that is directly related to a bird’s fighting ability. Females will choose males with substantial black ‘badges’, but they are also realistic. Studies have shown that females in relatively poor condition simply don’t try to pair with males that they deem to be ‘out of their league’.

It always feels extraordinary that House Sparrows are, despite their abundance, suffering long-term decline in some areas. But we can help them in several ways. We can put up nest boxes and provide seed at feeding stations. But above all, we need to embrace untidiness in the garden, allowing for corners where insects can thrive, providing food for nestlings.

Blue Tit

How many Blue Tits do you have in your garden? The answer is always more than you think. Studies have

shown that a ‘normal’ suburban garden is visited by up to 100 individuals each day. Some of these will be residents, but others live quite a nomadic life, moving between postcodes, so to speak, during the winter. Individuals, though, do tend to have regular beats, so the birds you see in your garden at 10am may well be the same individuals from the same time yesterday! It’s easy to overlook the opulent colouration of this most familiar bird, but the Blue Tits themselves are very much aware of it. The blue plumage reflects ultraviolet radiation, and studies have shown that birds use it to help select a mate. The intensity of yellow on the breast could also be an indicator of how proficient a bird is at catching caterpillars, because the carotenoids that reflect yellow come from plant juices eaten by the insects.

Starling

When they build their nests, Starlings often add aromatic herbs to the structure, and if they do, this seems to make them better parents and their chicks tend to be healthier. The intriguing question is why, and nobody is quite sure – possibly the herbs have a positive effect on the parents’ health. The Starling is one of the garden’s most fascinating birds. It is famous for imitating other birds and background sounds within its song, and individuals may mimic as many as 20 different species – this is mainly done to increase a singer’s repertoire. It is also famous for the huge roosting murmurations. In a large gathering, individuals are always trying to move to an optimum density for being able to look around them effectively, and this constant movement creates the swirling aerobatics that you see in large roosts.

Woodpigeon

You might not appreciate a Woodpigeon’s plumage, but hopefully you can at least admit that the staring yellow eye is striking. It so happens that the shape of the black pupil is unusual; it is adapted both for looking down, which helps it pick up seeds and grain efficiently, but also for looking outwards for danger – it can see both ways at the same time. Woodpigeons and other pigeons also have two other unusual physiological quirks. They are the only native British birds that can suck fluids up, rather than scooping them and tilting the head to let gravity do the work; and they are among a vanishingly few birds that feed their young on milk produced in the crop.

Few garden birds are so successful in harvesting green plant material, such as leaves. This is one bird that benefits from almost all our crops and thrives in the modern farming environment.

‘When they build their nests, Starlings often add aromatic herbs to the structure’

Blackbird

When you see a Blackbird feeding on the lawn, it’s fair to ask the question: where has it come from? A significant proportion of the birds we see in winter are continental birds that use Britain as a winter refuge from cold weather; so ‘your’ Blackbird might be a bird

Photos: Ernie Janes, Nigel Blake, Nick Upton, David Tipling (all rspb-images.com).

Illustraions: Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)

that back in the summer may have foraged on a woodland floor within a few metres of a Moose. Having said that, in the future, climate change may reduce the numbers of birds coming south.

Blackbirds are one of many species that forage on lawns, so make sure you don’t put in a plastic one, as this will reduce available food. Blackbirds don’t like sharing a lawn with another Blackbird, and the presence of another will reduce an individual’s feeding rate, even if there is no obvious sign of tension. Blackbirds are generally doing fine in gardens, except in the London area where a virus contributed towards a population decline of 56% between 1995 and 2021.

Robin

This is one species where it’s reasonably accurate to say that it’s ‘your’ Robin you’re seeing. These birds are famously territorial and treat a garden as their own. However, in winter some individuals do migrate away, and some arrive from Scandinavia. Robins are often the very first birds to begin the dawn chorus, because they are adapted to feeding in shady places and have relatively large eyes that work well in the half-light. Theirs are also the voices that you can often hear at night in the winter, and studies have found that, in a city, singing at night allows a Robin to be heard before the general day hubbub drowns it out. Many of the songs you hear are those of Robins defending a winter territory ahead of breeding season. Robins are one of the earliest British birds to nest, beginning in January if it’s mild enough.

Goldfinch

Goldfinches working thistles and other seed-plants use their bills rather like tweezers, moving the bill point between the bracts and then opening their mandibles to tease the bracts apart so that they can reach seeds. In order to do so, the jaw muscles opening the bill are unusually strong, unlike ours, which are primarily adapted for biting. Exceptionally sociable, Goldfinches often nest in small aggregations known as neighbourhood groups. Pairs nest close together and members go out together to look for seeds, using more pairs of eyes to find seeding plants. Big Garden Birdwatch results have shown a 10% increase in Goldfinches counted over the last 10 years.

Great Tit

Recently, modern science has proven something that most garden watchers already suspected – that individual birds have distinct personalities. Some Great Tits, for example, are greater risk-takers than others and are more likely to take advantage of new feeding opportunities. Others play it safe but benefit if their more reckless colleagues come to grief! Remarkably, it has even been shown that individuals living in urban environments are more aggressive than their rural counterparts. Great Tits, the UK’s largest tit species, are highly adaptable and successful, and they have been known to take unusual foodstuffs, even including bats at times!

How to help… Together, let’s make it count

The 45th Big Garden Birdwatch takes place between 26–28 January 2024. To take part, register at www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

Our birds are facing many challenges with the nature and climate emergency. It’s more important than ever to submit your results. Every bird you count matters, so challenge your friends and family to take part.

You probably usually see Magpies in pairs, but look closely and you might also see small flocks around and about. That’s because there are two strata of society: pairs, which live in fixed territories, and individuals that move around quite a bit and often gather with other unattached birds. Sometimes flocks invade a territory and challenge a pair, leading to noisy gatherings of excited chattering birds. Magpies do a fantastic job in removing dead bodies from roads and other places; one study found that they cleaned up 73% of all urban carcasses. These intelligent birds have a broad diet, but most of it still consists of insects they find on the ground. In summer, they sometimes catch and eat Stag Beetles. It’s been shown recently that female Magpies know how good their territories are and will lay an appropriate number of eggs accordingly.

Long-tailed Tit

The flocks of Long-tailed Tits seen in winter gardens are very unusual as they consist of extended families. Alone among all the small birds in the garden, young Long-tailed Tits spend Christmas with their parents, united in a group with mother, father, last year’s brood and other blood relatives, such as uncles or aunts. On cold winter nights, these familial flocks are the keys to survival, since all members huddle together to reduce heat loss. This can be the difference between life and death. Perhaps surprisingly, as they huddle on a branch, the parents take the coveted middle spots, and the youngsters are relegated to the outside.

Get involved

Every bird species has a story to tell, and every individual has its own part in that story. Whether you are a regular or new to the survey, make sure you take part, and why not get your community involved too?

Dominic Couzens is an award-winning nature writer, with over 40 published books on natural history and birds and other wildlife. birdwords.co.uk

5. Goldfinches probably first came into gardens to take advantage of lavender and other seeds

6. Magpies are widespread but not found in northern Scotland

7. In some Robin populations, up to 10% of deaths are due to fights over territory

8. Long-tailed Tits survive the winter on tiny insects –including butterfly eggs

9. Female Great Tits have a much narrower black stripe on their belly than males

Magpie

Experience winter

Winter offers open skies, early sunsets and unobscured views of some brilliant wildlife behaviour. Anna Scrivenger shares some of the best sights of the season

Freshwater

Otters, RSPB Loch Spynie

It’s pretty chilly, but the view from this loch-edge hide in northern Scotland is already warming my heart. Having watched the entertaining antics of a Red Squirrel at the feeders, leaping to and fro amid the pines, I’m now gazing out of the hide windows at a bright winter scene of drifting Whooper Swans, Wigeon, Teal and

a few Goldeneyes and Pintails. There’s a disturbance at the water’s edge, near a clump of golden reeds along the far shore.

A dark, glossy shape surfaces and I raise my binoculars in time to see the head of an Otter, which casts a quick look around, spinning in the water and sending ripples out that alarm the wary ducks,

before raising a forepaw as if in salute and disappearing beneath the silver water.

I’m now a Loch Spynie Otter Spotter –a badge I’ll wear with pride.

Getting there: Elgin train station is just under 4 miles away. There are taxis, or a pleasant walk or cycle along back roads.

Oceans Choughs, RSPB South Stack

This windswept promontory rises from Atlantic swells, soaring granite cliffs linked by a little footbridge that’s humanity’s only access to a remote, atmospheric world ruled by birds. Come spring, it’ll teem with cacophonous breeding seabirds. For now, the cliff air belongs to the Ravens and Choughs. The Ravens are huge, impressive birds – performing daring acrobatics along the cliffs, looping and free-falling in small groups over land, then ocean. It looks a lot of fun.

“Chough!”, someone exclaims nearby. A much smaller black crow shape rises above the cliff edge, unmistakable scarlet legs dangling in the wind. It’s soon joined by another and the pair of lifelong mates settle on the grass near the picnic benches, eyeing me with intelligent wariness. I withdraw to give them some space to forage. This is their kingdom, not mine.

Getting there: Holyhead station is 3 miles away.

Irish Hare, RSPB Portmore Lough

Morning frost sparkles on the fringes of the shallow pools that have flooded the wet grassland, as they do every winter when the rising lough seeps through the reedbeds and into the meadows. Small flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plovers assemble around the fringes. In the distance, there’s a commotion. Two hares boxing, up on their hind legs kicking, striking and circling. These are Portmore’s precious Irish Hares; a distinct endemic sub-species that’s rare across the whole of Ireland, but thriving here.

At least, one of them is. The other is now on the retreat and his progress is starting to trend downwards and backwards. The female is larger and has clearly had enough of the smaller male’s propositions. He thinks better of it and races away. Perhaps one day they’ll have leverets nestling in this meadow, but today was not his lucky day.

Getting there: There’s no regular public transport, but if coming by road, enter postcode BT67 0DW into the sat nav.

Dusk falls early this time of year, and the forest in the wintry gloaming takes on an eerie feel. Old magic hangs in the air.

I look around me but feel like I’m the one being watched. There are clues everywhere that I’m not alone: a trampled wallow churned into the mud, the faint impression of trotters in the little pathways. I’m certain they know I’m here. If I had better eyesight perhaps I’d spot a tufted back, motionless amid that bronze bracken.

I focus instead on the birds, keeping an eye out for Treecreepers amid the endless forest of bare oaks. A flash of colour alerts me to a Robin snatching berries from a Holly tree, which perhaps accounts for the deep hue of his chest. I stand still, my breath curling in the tranquil February air and mingling with the Robin’s.

Getting there: The nearest station is 3.75 miles away at Lydney, with a bus taking you a short walk from the site. The Forest of Dean Family Cycle Trail runs past RSPB Nagshead.

Woodland

Robins and Wild Boar, RSPB Nagshead

Grasslands

Seabird struggles

Seabirds may be out of sight for most of the year, but their conservation must remain at the forefront of our minds. These hardy birds need our help at land and at sea

Photo: Oliver Smart (Alamy Stock Photo)

hat do you see when you picture a Puffin? Perhaps a dapper little bird standing beside its burrow, surrounded by its Puffin neighbours, its multi-coloured bill crammed with silver sandeels. Pan out, and you’ll probably picture other birds: big white Gannets gliding past, growling Guillemots and mewling Kittiwakes crowding the ledges below. In short, all the sights and sounds of a teeming seabird colony at the height of summer.

statistics pre-date the recent devastating outbreak of avian influenza – also known as bird flu.

Whilst complex, the causes of this crisis can be simply put, “Seabirds need three things: safe places to breed, safe places to feed and plenty of food,” explains RSPB Marine Policy Officer, Samuel Wrobel. “In all three areas, we are failing them.”

Unsafe at home

Most seabirds breed in colonies, choosing remote islands, steep cliffs and other secure, inaccessible locations. In the last three years, avian influenza has turned many of these into death traps. Seabird colonies make them especially vulnerable to the virus, which can spread through their crowded ranks like wildfire. Since the current deadly strain of HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) first appeared in the UK in April 2021, spreading south from Northern Scotland around the coast, tens of thousands of birds have died, with 21 of our 25 regularly breeding species affected.

7%

Previous page: Breeding Razorbills pair for life

1. Great Skuas are known for stealing other birds’ prey

2. A Gannet’s black iris possibly indicates previous HPAI infection

3. Egg predation is a major threat to seabirds

4. Around 10% of the world’s Guillemots breed in Scotland

In mid-winter, though, your Puffin is harder to picture. Visit the colony this month and you’ll find the birds long gone. These wanderers are not called seabirds for nothing: they visit our shores only during the breeding season, from roughly April to August; the rest of the time they’re out on the ocean wave. Right now, your Puffin is probably bobbing by itself somewhere in the vast North Atlantic, perhaps 500 miles from its burrow, fending for itself. Other seabirds are similarly scattered: Gannets in the Bay of Biscay, Kittiwakes off the coast of North America and Manx Shearwaters off the coast of Brazil. These journeys may seem mindboggling. But the birds are perfectly adapted to a life at sea, riding out the storms and finding food in what seems to us endless miles of nothingness.

But if seabirds are so tough, then why are they struggling? The UK supports some of the world’s most important seabird colonies, including most of the world’s nesting Manx Shearwaters, Gannets and Great Skuas. The latest seabird census shows almost half of our breeding species have declined over the past 20 years. The 2023 State of Nature report indicated an average 24% population decline in 13 species between 1986 and 2019, with 49% recorded for 11 species in Scotland. Today, the UK list of Birds of Conservation Concern identifies 24 of our 25 breeding seabirds as at risk of local or global extinction. Worryingly, these

The details are grim. In 2022, over 17,000 seabirds were reported dead on RSPB nature reserves alone. Among the worst hit were colonies of Great Skuas across the whole of Scotland, with NatureScot reporting more than 2,600 deaths due to avian flu (7% of the world population). Sadly, this proved to be an underestimate of the impact, as more recent studies showed some colonies suffered big declines. Gannets were also heavily affected in 2023, with some colonies, such as RSPB Troup Head in North East Scotland, declining by up to a third. A variant strain of the virus also had a major impact on gulls in 2023 –notably Kittiwakes and Black-headed Gulls. Other species hit hard included Common and Arctic Terns and Guillemots.

There is evidence that some seabird species can develop resistance to bird flu. Studies have shown that Gannets with black irises (rather than the usual pale blue) have survived the virus. While this offers cautious hope, we do not yet know how it may impact their eyesight. Either way, recovery from the outbreak will be slow, as seabirds take several years to reach breeding age, rearing only one or two chicks each summer. “The cumulative effect, on top of decades of declines, could potentially be catastrophic for some of our much-loved, and most at risk, species,” says Jeff Knott, RSPB Director of Policy and Advocacy.

‘There is evidence that some seabird species can develop resistance to bird flu. Studies have shown that Gannets with black irises… have survived’

Seabird colonies already faced multiple threats before bird flu, including unsustainable fishing, development and climate change. One of the most serious threats comes from invasive predators such as rats, mice, Stoats and ferrets, which – through human agency – have reached remote islands. Such invaders have devastated breeding seabird colonies worldwide and the UK is no exception. Manx Shearwaters, of which we hold some 80% of the global population, are especially vulnerable to these predators, which raid their burrows for eggs and chicks. And on Orkney, Stoats are taking a heavy toll on ground-nesting birds, including rare Hen Harriers, and even raiding sea cliffs for Guillemot eggs. None of these furry invaders asked to be introduced, of course, but removing them is a priority for protecting seabirds at home.

Photos: Mark Hamblin, Jude Lane, Genevieve Leaper (all rspb-images.com); Arterra

Picture Library (Alamy Stock

Photo).

of the world’s Great Skua population died from HPAI in 2022

Unsafe at sea

Seabird feeding grounds – the vast tracts of ocean where they find the fish and other marine organisms that sustain them – are also under pressure. To us, the sea may appear empty, but to seabirds it is increasingly full of hazards. One is large-scale industrial fishing gear: the countless miles of nets, lines and hooks in which they become entangled as bycatch. This is a global issue – the RSPB has long campaigned to protect albatrosses from long-line fishing in the southern oceans – but is less well-known in UK waters. Today, an estimated 2,500 to 9,000 Fulmars and 1,800 to 3,300 Guillemots perish in this way.

And then there are offshore windfarms. The mushrooming of these huge developments, notably in the North Sea, poses multiple threats to seabirds, including collisions with the blades, barriers to migratory routes and damage to the seabed ecology. “We 100% support marine renewables; we need them, to mitigate climate change,” says Samuel, “but this cannot be at the expense of resilient seabirds and healthy oceans.” He explains that in the rush to embrace renewables there has been a lack of planning. “What we’re asking for is nature, alongside socio-economic values, to be brought to the forefront of planning.”

Short supply

At least the seabirds’ food supply is inexhaustible, you might assume. Sadly, this is not true either. The fish stocks on which many species depend are steadily declining, and parents are struggling to catch enough to feed their hungry chicks. Climate change and unsustainable industrial fishing have heavily depleted the populations of key ‘forage fish’ such as sandeels – not only vital for seabirds but also for marine mammals – and bigger fish such as Atlantic Cod. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sandeels are taken from the North Sea, largely by EU fishing vessels, then turned into fishmeal and fish oil to feed farmed fish. Their unsustainable removal undermines the ecology of the whole ocean. Climate change exacerbates this problem. The summer of 2023 saw UK waters experience unprecedented marine heatwaves, with some areas off the English coast 5°C hotter than usual. This happens when human-induced warming and natural climate variability such as El Niño coincide. Heatwaves place marine organisms under severe stress and can trigger mass mortalities, ultimately destroying ecosystems. It can be disastrous for some of the small prey our birds depend upon.

If seabirds are struggling for food, then we should all be worried. The birds’ lives are intricately connected to the health of the oceans. They are thus, effectively, the aquatic canaries in an underwater coal mine, warning us that the entire marine environment is in trouble. The seriousness of this issue can be hard to grasp; to us, on land, the oceans can feel out of sight and out of mind. “Just because we can’t see it, that doesn’t mean the problems aren’t happening,” warns Samuel. “If we want to use it, we have a responsibility to protect it.” Today we are in an emergency. Our governments must act before it is too late.

Taking action

Thanks to the support of our members, the RSPB is working hard to help UK seabirds. With the new breeding season just around the corner, numerous projects are already under way. First up, we are stepping up research to help us understand the long-term impact of avian flu. This includes targeted population counts of key species. A 2023 census of Great Skua territories on the Scottish island of Lewis, for example, has already established that avian flu has not returned in this species but that our breeding numbers are down.

Meanwhile our partnership project, Biosecurity for Life, is helping to eradicate invasives. A rat eradication project on Lundy Island has already seen seabird populations treble since the island was declared rat-free. We are also supporting the Orkney Native Wildlife Project, the world’s largest attempt at alien eradication on an inhabited island. To date, over 5,000 Stoats have already been removed.

With fisheries, we’re calling for Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) on fishing vessels, to tell us more

Top: Fulmars, Guillemots, Puffins, Kittiwakes and Razorbills all breed at Rathlin Island

5. Kittiwakes are another bird reliant on sandeels for food 6. Puffins return to our coasts to breed between March and April

7. Flatfish make up a portion of Black Guillemots’ diet

8. Manx Shearwaters return to the same burrow each year

‘The birds’ lives are intricately connected to the health of the oceans. They are… the aquatic canaries in an underwater coal mine’

What to do if you find a dead bird

Don’t touch sick or dead birds. If walking with your dog, keep it away from them. In England, Scotland and Wales, report any dead birds at gov.uk/ guidance/report-dead-wild-birds or call DEFRAon 0345 933 5577. In Northern Ireland, report them at daera-ni.gov.uk. If you know the species, please also report dead wild birds on BirdTrack to help assess population impacts. If the bird is on an RSPB nature reserve, please inform site staff.

about fish stocks, fishing practices and bycatch.

We know that different fisheries impact seabird species in different ways depending on whether they’re surface feeders or divers. Working with the fishing industry and governments, we are developing practical solutions. For instance, fishing at night reduces the deaths of birds that feed by day, while adding weights to long-line hooks means they sink out of reach faster.

There has been an overwhelming response to our campaigns to end industrial sandeel trawling in English North Sea and across Scottish waters. Tens of thousands of you spoke up for seabirds and have shown what a

‘The problems of our oceans can seem as limitless and daunting as the oceans themselves. We can all help secure a future for seabirds’

powerful voice we have when we join together. Over 95.5% of respondents to the UK Government consultation wanted a full UK closure of English North Sea waters. Thank you for your help which has taken us a vital step closer to a UK-wide closure.

We are also addressing the impacts of climate change. Our LIFE on the Edge project is working to future-proof key coastal sites against coastal erosion and sea-level rise by restoring intertidal habitats. Meanwhile our Blue Carbon project is pressing to create more MPAs (Marine Protected Areas) and to better manage existing MPAs in the North Sea, to improve protection for marine habitats that are vital for locking away carbon. These include coastal habitats such as saltmarsh and offshore habitats such as seagrass beds and kelp forests. “Marine-based vegetative habitats capture almost the same amount of carbon as the planet’s grass, plants and trees combined,” says Samuel.

So, what else can you do? The problems of our oceans can seem as limitless and daunting as the oceans themselves. But the sandeel consultation has shown just what can be achieved when people come together. By supporting the RSPB’s work – joining a campaign, posting on social media or just simply making yourself aware – we can all help secure a future for seabirds.

Meanwhile, why not head for the coast to remind yourself what it’s all about? The RSPB has numerous seabird nature reserves, from Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire to Fowlsheugh in Scotland, Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland and South Stack Cliffs in Wales. Visit in spring and summer and who knows, you might spot your Puffin back beside that very burrow you imagined. Let’s just hope its beak is crammed with sandeels.

Mike

authored over 40 nature books. He lives on the Sussex coast, where he watches the local Kittiwakes in summer and looks out for wandering Gannets in winter.

Photos: Jacky Parker Photography, Equilibrium99

(both Getty Images)

Unwin has

Above left: Some Puffins now travel 10 times further than normal to find sandeels

Above right: There are more Gannets at Bempton Cliffs than anywhere else on mainland England

Bird flu

Simon Barnes

The outstanding east coast of England

It was an ordinary day in an ordinary place just down the road – and my heart was pierced by the wonder of it. I was half a mile from the pub. I could still hear the hum of traffic on the main road. I could see the chimney of a brewery. It was raining.

The sky was 50 shades of blue-black ink, the tide a little over halfway up the Blyth Estuary in Suffolk. The water, still shallow, was full of gulls and Redshanks: ordinary birds. The rich, bubbling cry of a Curlew rang out and for a moment I thought I would weep. It’s local, it’s normal, it’s the stuff of everyday life – and it’s absolutely bloody wonderful.

Then the thunder came and with it the hail, and I walked on through the storm and heard again the sweet silver song of the Curlew. Nothing rare. Nothing extraordinary. And yet I was filled with a sudden intense awareness of being in a special time in a special place. For a moment, this scrap of England’s east coast seemed – no, damn your ‘seemed’ – was as marvellous as the Serengeti, Yellowstone, the Victoria Falls, the Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos.

Well, it happens that the RSPB agrees with me. With their help, the east coast of England,

‘For a moment, this scrap of England’s east coast seemed – no, damn your ‘seemed’ –was as marvellous as the Serengeti, Yellowstone, the Victoria Falls, the Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos’

this soft, soggy, boggy uncertain area between the Humber (how homely is that?) and the mouth of the Thames is now on what’s amusingly called the UK Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, along with six other locations. The UK Government has agreed the landscape is of outstanding universal value and has given its backing to a bid to put this forward to UNESCO so it can be recognised alongside the other for-all-time great places I have already mentioned.

I have lived in England’s nature-rich Far East for more than 25 years. Back in 1990, I wrote a book called Flying in the Face of Nature about a year in the life of Minsmere, an RSPB nature reserve on the Suffolk coast. I have seen the high-tide roost at RSPB Snettisham, the Spoonbill colony at Holkham, Brent Geese at Walton-on-the-Naze and Peregrines at Elmley in Kent.

It’s a long and complex stretch of coast, quite unlike the dramatic cliffs of Cornwall and Yorkshire. It’s a coast that can’t make up its mind whether its land or sea. It’s a bit of both: soft, volatile, shifting. And as the sea continues to rise, further changes are inevitable. Humans have done plenty of stuff to the coast over the years, not always for the best, but in terms of nature and beauty and wonder you still get more value-per-mile than almost everywhere else in England.

In one sense it doesn’t really matter what you call it – Barnes’ Beauty Spot or the King’s Back Garden – but calling it a World Heritage Site is actually a big deal. It means we will be more likely to remember that this long string of ordinary English places is also a thing of beauty and wonder, and that we would do well to cherish it and to make it better, for the sake of the Curlews and for the sake of humans passing through.

What was it Orhan Pamuk, the Nobel Laureate, once wrote? Ah yes: “What makes the marvellous is its peculiar way of being ordinary; what makes the ordinary is its peculiar way of being marvellous.”

Simon Barnes is a bird and wildlife writer and author.

HPB’s Tigh Mor Trossachs, beside Loch Achray in the Scottish Highlands

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Action for nature

How your support is helping wildlife

Species

Curlew tracking yields insights

A major radio-tagging project is yielding important information about Curlew chick movements and predation risks, helping us plan future conservation efforts.

The Curlew is the largest wader in the UK. Numbers breeding here have declined by 48% since the mid-’90s, mainly due to predation and breeding habitat loss. Now Red-listed, the Curlew is among the RSPB’s highest-priority species. That’s why we’re heading the four-year Curlews in Crisis (Curlew LIFE) project in five priority landscapes across the UK, with generous support from the EU LIFE programme and other partners.

Since last spring, we’ve used radio-tagging to monitor broods of Curlews at RSPB Geltsdale and nearby farmland in northern England, RSPB Insh Marshes in Scotland and

uplands near Betws-y-Coed in North Wales. Small VHF radio transmitters fitted to the birds transmit signals that can then be tracked across these rugged landscapes using a handheld antenna and receiver.

In 2023, 35 birds were tagged and tracked in North Wales and another 43 at Insh Marshes. The results are being analysed by the RSPB’s Centre for Conservation Science and are already giving the Curlew LIFE teams food for thought.

“This study will help us understand how many chicks survive to fledging, more about predation, and habitats used at different stages in their development,” explains Sam McCready, RSPB Senior Research Assistant. “This will all help shape our conservation management for Curlews.”

Places

Abernethy nature on camera

Nature cameras at RSPB Loch Garten (part of Abernethy nature reserve) provided incredible glimpses into the lives of Scotland’s Capercaillie, Ospreys and Goshawks last spring and summer. The Capercaillie camera, funded by the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project, allowed us to watch these forest birds at a dust bath. July brought excitement when a brood of six chicks, three males and three females, came into view, indicating that the RSPB’s forest-management methods – including Nofence collar cattle grazing, robocutters, and diversionary feeding – are having a positive impact.

Male Osprey Brodie was seen bringing in Flounder (above) and Mackerel – fish

Capercaillie chicks

A brood of six Capercaillie chicks came to use the dust bath to rid their feathers of lice and to shed excess oil.

usually associated with the coast – raising questions about his foraging journeys. And some unexpected nest visitors made night-time appearances: a Pine Marten explored the Osprey nest, while a snoozing Goshawk found itself dive-bombed by a Tawny Owl.

These webcams will come online again in the spring, but the bird-feeder cam showcasing the likes of Crested Tits and Red Squirrels continues to broadcast at: bit.ly/loch-garten

Policy

Sandeel campaigns

Thanks to your ongoing support, our campaigns to end industrial sandeel fishing in Scottish and English waters – and provide a vital lifeline for marine wildlife that depend on them – are paying off. North Sea populations of the tiny silvery fish have plummeted in recent years, in part because of industrial overfishing. But over 95% of respondents to a UK Government consultation supported a full ban on sandeel fishing in English North Sea waters; and over 11,000 of you supported our campaign backing the Scottish Government’s proposals to end industrial sandeel fishing in all Scottish waters. We’re now awaiting decisions from both governments. bit. ly/struggling-seabirds

Pine Marten

A Pine Marten was caught on camera exploring the Osprey nest in late summer after the chicks had fledged.

Goshawk nest

Female Goshawks are fierce protectors of their nests, as seen when a Tawny Owl was captured swooping on this nest in April.

RSPB Arne in Dorset will welcome back the BBC Winterwatch team in January, having hosted an amazing Springwatch series that showcased the six UK reptile species plus heathland specialists including Nightjars, Dartford Warblers and Heath Tiger Beetles. Winter wildlife stars will doubtless include large flocks of visiting waders such as Avocet, Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwit.

Dartford Warbler

Osprey

Species

Ratty returns to Lake District

Hundreds of Water Voles have returned to the Lake District thanks to a collaborative effort by Eden Rivers Trust, the Environment Agency and Cumbria Connect. The release of 365 Water Voles at the RSPB nature reserve at Haweswater – a site managed in partnership with United Utilities – and Lowther Estate marks a major milestone in restoring a species that had dwindled due to habitat loss, pollution and invasive American Mink.

Policy

Good news for India’s vultures

The future looks brighter for India’s vultures after the Indian Government banned two more veterinary drugs that are lethal to these birds. Since the early 1990s, populations of several Indian vulture species plummeted by over 97%, largely as a result of widespread use in livestock of the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, which kills vultures that feed on the carcasses of treated cattle. Veterinary diclofenac was banned in India

in 2006 but has been replaced by other lethal painkillers including aceclofenac and ketoprofen, despite safe alternatives being available. Now, after years of safety testing, research and campaigning by the SAVE (Saving Asia’s Vultures from Extinction) coalition, in which the RSPB and the Bombay Natural History Society are leading partners, the government ban on these drugs marks a major step forward in vulture conservation.

Species

Rare spiders stretch their legs

Large, beautiful and very rare Fen Raft Spiders have been spotted across RSPB nature reserves in Norfolk, at least 2.5 miles from where they were released in a major translocation project 10 years ago. Surveys this year recorded these spiders in ditches at Strumpshaw Fen as well as at Buckenham Marshes and Cantley – a significant expansion of their range, and a big win for the RSPBbacked project striving to save this Vulnerable species.

Water Vole

Fen Raft Spider

White-rumped Vultures

People

Birdwatch regional variations

Your Big Garden Birdwatch contributions really count – not least in highlighting how birds fare in different places. In 2023, House Sparrows were the most-recorded birds across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. But results for Chaffinches varied widely – they didn’t make the top 10 in England or the UK overall, but hit number six in Northern Ireland and Wales, and three in Scotland. Sign up for 2024 at www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

Species

Hayling Island shorebird success

The efforts of RSPB staff and local volunteers on a pioneering community engagement project in Hampshire have been rewarded with an increase in numbers of Ringed Plover fledglings. UK numbers of this short-legged wading bird declined by 23% between 2010 and 2019, and they desperately need our help. That’s why the RSPB’s LIFE on the Edge project has been supporting the Hayling Plover volunteers at Gunner Point since 2021 to reduce predation and disturbance

of nests by walkers, dogs and joggers. In spring and summer 2023, RSPB Beach Nesting Bird Project Officer Mark Appleton led a team working to temporarily fence crucial shingle nesting habitat, erect signs and updates explaining the project to the local community, and build cages to protect eggs from predation. The results have been encouraging; at least nine young Ringed Plovers have fledged this summer – by far the largest number recorded at this site.

Places

Lake Vyrnwy boost

Peatland and uplands around Lake Vyrnwy are benefiting from major new funding. We’ve secured over £500,000 from the Welsh Government’s National Peatland Action Programme and Hafren Dyfrdwy for peatland restoration on and around the Lake Vyrnwy estate, re-wetting blanket bog to improve the condition of these protected upland habitats, and about £20,000 from Hafren Dyfrdwy and Natural Resources Wales to remove conifers.

Policy

NI peat project certified

The first peatland registration project in Northern Ireland to be registered under the Peatland Code has been certified thanks to efforts by the RSPB. The site on the Garron Plateau in County Antrim hosts important plants and animals including Marsh Saxifrage, Hen Harriers, Golden Plovers, Dunlin, Irish Hares and Large Heath butterflies. We hope more sites will soon be similarly registered.

Ringed Plover

House Sparrow

Species

Removing ferrets to save seabirds

An ambitious eradication project aims to remove all feral ferrets and rats from Rathlin Island, boosting the recovery of the wildlife they threaten. Northern Ireland’s only inhabited island is home to the country’s largest seabird colony, hosting Puffins, Black Guillemots and Fulmars, as well as breeding Corncrakes and Great Skuas. However, invasive, non-native rats and ferrets have taken a terrible toll on native wildlife, preying on seabird nests in particular. Puffin numbers have fallen by 74% since 1999, Manx Shearwaters have been completely extirpated, and other species have also been hit hard. In October 2023, the Rathlin Acting for Tomorrow

(LIFE Raft) project started the feral ferret eradication phase of the project – a world first. This partnership project, coled by the RSPB, is laying and remotely monitoring traps across the island, even dangling off the edge of cliffs to put them in place. The local community has played a key part; some are employed with the project and the whole community will benefit from increased eco-tourism and the ability to keep poultry that wildlife recovery could bring.

This project is funded by EU LIFE, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and DAERA. Find out more at: rathlin360.com/ life-raft/about-life-raft/

Places

Reviving maritime heritage

For the first time in half a century, a traditional wooden dinghy longboat has been built in Tristan da Cunha thanks to Atlantic Guardians, an RSPBsupported project. The boat has been created by the elder members of the island community to celebrate their unique marine heritage and to pass on knowledge and skills to the younger generation.

Rathlin Island

Words: Paul Bloomfield. Photos: David Wootton (rspb-images.com); Emil Pirzenthal; Trevor Codlin; Adam Boughton; Darren Houston; Nathan Lowe. (rspb-images.com)

Island charm

Unlock a new appreciation for the natural beauty of the British Isles with Ambassador’s 2024 Discovery sailings

Departing from June, choose one of Ambassador Cruise Line’s British Isles or Ireland Discovery sailings to experience the spectacular sights of the places we call home. Ranging from 11–14 nights, each scenic cruise has a fascinating itinerary to showcase the heritage and dramatic landscapes of our isles as you’ve never seen them before.

Ambience and Ambition –Ambassador’s modern and comfortable vessels – will take you from tranquil towns to bustling capital cities. On these no-fly holidays, you can rest assured that you’re travelling with a globally conscious cruise line. Ambassador is passionate about protecting our oceans and the destinations it visits, and some trips host Ocean Conservationists from their charity partner ORCA to aid their study and protection of whales, dolphins and porpoises in UK and European waters.

Seabird city

Departing from eight regional ports, including London Tilbury, Liverpool and Newcastle Upon Tyne, each cruise offers a unique route and tailored experience which exhibits the very best of Britain. Whichever voyage is for you, a highlight of all the British Isles trips is Kirkwall, Orkney’s largest town. With minimal predators on these Scottish isles, it’s a safe haven for a myriad of wildlife, including groundnesting Lapwings and Curlews. Summer is the optimum time to witness the sea cliffs bursting with life as seabirds come to nest. As you sail in, look to the skies for glimpses of Puffins, Fulmars, Razorbills and Gannets, and then down to the sea for a chance to see dolphins, seals and whales.

Home from home

Another destination for all the British Isles cruises is St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly.

The crystal-blue sea water, white-sand beaches and rocky coves will make you feel transported to tropical climes, but the charm and intimate atmosphere will have you feeling at home. Take part in a rockpool safari to search for Blue-rayed Limpets and starfish or join a guided wildlife tour to explore the local flora and fauna and admire the shore and seabirds.

Other ports included in this varied selection of sailings include Belfast, Dundee, Cobh, St Peter Port, Stornoway and Portsmouth. These trips are proof you don’t have to travel far from home for that feeling of wonder and escapism.

Choose the perfect British Isles or Ireland Discovery trip for you at ambassadorcruiseline.com

Top left: Enjoy coastal walks in Kirkwall Bottom left: See breeding Puffins on the Orkney Islands Right: Take in the stunning seascapes of St Mary’s

Photos: Andia, David Chapman (both Alamy Stock

Photo); Nuzulu (Getty Images)

Species Seabird snapshot

The fortunes of 25 seabird species regularly breeding in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Channel Islands have been revealed in the latest seabird census. Based on surveys undertaken between 2015 and 2021, led by JNCC with partners including the RSPB, Seabirds Count reveals mixed fortunes. Find the book at lynxeds. com, and enter ‘SBC_ RSPB’ for a discount.

Species Seabirds Count

>50% 49%

of seabird species declined. For species where there is confidence in their trends, 11 out of 21 have declined since the last census published in 2004

8%

decrease in numbers of Common Gulls since the previous survey. Scotland, followed by Ireland, hosts the largest proportion of the British Isles’ populations of the global population of Puffins live in the British Isles. Puffin numbers declined in the majority of comparable sites surveyed in the census

The British Isles hold the majority of the world’s breeding Manx Shearwater, Gannet and Great Skua population

152% >30%

increase in numbers of Roseate Terns since the last census, thanks to rat eradication programmes and nest-site protection work. However, this species remains very rare and has since been severely affected by bird flu, with an estimated 2,000 pairs confined to a few colonies around these islands

of the North Atlantic, and in some cases global population, of 10 seabird species breeds in the British Isles

Words: Paul Bloomfield.

Photo: Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)

Roseate Tern

Great Skua

Gannet

Manx Shearwater

Roseate Tern

© Luca Melcarne

Wildlife Breaks Wildlife Breaks In the Scottish Highlands In the Scottish Highlands

The Grant Arms Hotel

The

As soon as you walk into the Grant Arms Hotel you realise it isn’t just any four star Hotel. In short the refurbished Grant Arms is the hotel for bird and wildlife watchers offering wonderful food, friendly staff and 50 high quality ensuite bedrooms. All bedrooms come with hairdryer, colour TV, toiletries and coffee making facilities.

Speyside and the Cairngorms are one of the best areas for wildlife watching in the UK. Perfect for beginner to expert, whether for a day or a fortnight. Depending on the season you could see: Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Pine Marten, Red Squirrel, Mountain Hare, Osprey, Ptarmigan, Otter, Red and Black Grouse, Red and Roe Deer, Slavonian Grebe, Crested Tit and Crossbill, as well as Dolphins, Waders, Sea Ducks and Sea Birds along the Moray Firth coast.

HOW TO GETTHERE

By Road: Grantown is situated just off the A9 Edinburgh-Inverness road. By Train: The nearest station is Aviemore (15 miles) on the Edinburgh-Inverness line. By Plane: Inverness Airport (30 miles) - Flights from most major UK airports: LOGANAIR from Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast City and Aberdeen; KLM from Amsterdam; EASYJET from Bristol, Gatwick, Luton and Belfast International; BA from Heathrow.

Special Events The Grant Arms Hotel

A TASTE OF BURNS BREAK

Fri 26th to Tues 30th Jan 2024

Join us for a special Taste of Burns Break. There will be extra walks and trips looking for some of our wintering wildlife plus enjoy a Taste of Burns supper on Saturday 21st with a traditional piper and the address to the haggis followed by ceilidh dancing with the in-house band and evening talks by CRAIG JONES , IOLO WILLIAMS and ASHLEY GROVE

-()$'- "%- ++- GUIDED WALKING HOLIDAYS WITH walker, mountaineer, and wilderness guide JAMES WOODHOUSE

LOW-LEVEL WALKS

Monday 5th to Friday 9th February 2024

This 4-night, 3-day walking holiday will take in some of the best low-level walks close to the hotel, full of stunning scenery and history.

HIGH-LEVEL WALKS

Monday 1st to Friday 5th April 2024

This 4-night, 3-day walking holiday will be more strenuous, heading out into the beautiful hills and Coires of the Cairngorms National Park. A good level of fitness required.

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A WILDLIFE AND WHISKY WEEK WITH NICK BAKER AND SIMON SAUNDERS

Mon 12th to Sat 17th Feb 2024

Join Naturalist, Author and Presenter NICK BAKER along with his good friend and whisky expert SIMON SAUNDERS for a week of Wildlife and Whisky. As well as visiting specially selected distilleries, you will also visit some of our best wildlife spots.

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GUIDED PHOTOGRAPHY HOLIDAYS WITH Photographer, Presenter and Biologist WILL HALL NIGHT SKY/LANDSCAPE

Monday 11th to Friday 15th March 2024

A Landscape Photography Holiday with a difference. We will be hoping to capture images of the aurora and amazing night sky of the Cairngorms National Park, if the weather is bad, switching to landscape photography around the Cairngorms and Moray area.

WILDLIFE ADVENTURE

Monday 15th to Friday 19th April 2024

Falling between the “hide photography” and “hiking holidays” the trip will cover a few different locations aiming to offer adventurous hikes in the mountains with the rugged landscape of Scotland.

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Photo by: Laurrie Campbell

Photo by: John Betts

Photo by: Nigel Sprowell

TARIFF

Places

Recovering from wildfire

Thank you for your generous donations to our emergency appeal following the devastation caused by a wildfire which spread onto our Corrimony nature reserve in the Highlands in late May. About half of Corrimony was destroyed at a crucial time for breeding birds including Black Grouse and Scottish Crossbill. The rapid response of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and our site teams was crucial in limiting the damage, along with

efforts by neighbours, gamekeepers and other landowners. We’re also touched by the cards made by children at Cannich Bridge Primary School, who hope to help replant trees at the site. Over £200,000 has been raised towards recovery, including an incredibly kind donation of £50,000 from our corporate partner Barratt Developments, and we continue to talk to several companies who are offering support.

People Caring nature

Together with the National Trust and WWF, we’ve joined the Save our Wild Isles campaign teaming up with Community Integrated Care – one of the UK’s largest health and social care charities – to bring nature to people who draw on and deliver social care. Among new resources is a downloadable Creative Activities, Games and Conversations Pack for people with diverse support needs. communityintegratedcare.co.uk/Nature

People Marine champions

School children on Tristan da Cunha, St Helena and Ascension Island shared videos revealing the amazing marine life of each of their islands on Marine Protected Areas Day, 1 August. Through the Atlantic Guardians project, we’ve worked with these South Atlantic UK Overseas Territories to encourage young people to pledge to protect and safeguard their precious marine life – including Northern Rockhopper Penguins, Whale Sharks and Green Turtles – for future generations.

Swansea biodiversity surveyed

Our Swansea & District Local Group played a key part in the hugely successful international City Nature Challenge in late April and early May, leading guided walks and supporting bat and moth surveys. This four-day global bioblitz is a fantastic chance for people to connect with the nature on their doorstep.

During the annual global citizen-science event surveying urban wildlife, more than 66,000 participants from 482 cities

recorded 1.8 million observations of more than 57,000 species worldwide. Together with Swansea residents who joined in, they spotted a host of birds including Dippers, Marsh Tits, Treecreepers and Tawny Owls as well as moths including Brindled Pug, Silver Y and Red-green Carpet.

For more on the City Nature Challenge 2024 visit: citynaturechallenge.org/ participate, and find your RSPB Local Group at: bit.ly/RSPB-local-groups

Our places RSPB Medmerry and Pagham Harbour

Wild days out

Medmerry & Pagham

These peaceful and picturesque neighbouring nature reserves are two of the last few undeveloped sites on the Sussex coast. Amanda Tuke visits Medmerry and Pagham Harbour, both equally rich in history and wildlife

Visitor guide RSPB Medmerry and Pagham Harbour, Chichester

Getting there

Bus 51 will drop you outside Pagham Harbour’s Visitor Centre. From here, walk the footpath for 1.8 miles to Medmerry. Bike Route 88 leads to Pagham Harbour’s Visitor Centre, and take the Medmerry Cycle Link from there. The nearest station is Chichester.

Entry

Free, with free parking for members.

Seasonal highlights

In winter, the skies are filled with flocks of Dark-bellied Brent Geese and Golden Plovers. As spring arrives, take pleasure in watching smaller migrant birds arrive for the season, and nesting season is the prime time to see Pagham Harbour’s tern colony.

This season’s star species

Pagham Harbour: Wigeon • Brent Geese

• Marsh Harrier

Medmerry: Barn Owl • Skylark • Merlin

Accessibility

Parking: Car park at Pagham Harbour has two accessible spaces.

Wheelchairs: Pagham Harbour’s Discovery Trail has a wheelchair-friendly option, but this can get muddy in winter. At Medmerry, there is a path from Easton Lane car park to Easton Viewpoint. Dogs: Welcome on the public footpaths and bridleways under close control.

More info bit.ly/pagham; bit.ly/Medmerry

Medmerry map

Pagham Harbour map

Photo: Our Media Studio

Our places RSPB Medmerry and Pagham Harbour

We meet an icy seaward wind when we reach the top of the flood bank, and my eyes water as I scan the landscape through my binoculars. It’s mid-afternoon, just after high tide, and in front of us is a breathtaking expanse of saltmarsh, mudflats and water. A flock of waders – we decide probably Dunlin – take flight in the distance, their pale bellies flashing white in the low January sun. A piping flock of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks flies over our heads to the fields behind us.

Here at RSPB Medmerry, on the coast just south of Chichester in West Sussex, one of Europe’s largest managed coastal realignment projects is 10 years old this year. The flood bank I’m standing on with Roy Newnham, the nature reserve’s Visitor Experience Manager, and Gail Richens, Conservation Ranger, might appear well-established, but the groundbreaking initiative was only completed in 2013. With its range of habitats, this youthful reserve – and its more mature neighbour RSPB Pagham Harbour – attract wetland, woodland and farmland bird species.

Climbing back down from the flood bank, we walk towards the shingle beach hoping for a sight of a rare winter migrant from continental Europe which has been reported here. A bird with a silhouette similar to a wagtail suddenly flits across the stones a few metres away. The smoky-grey body and wings, black face and orange-red tail confirm we’ve found the male Black Redstart. This is a first for me, a ‘lifer’ in the jargon. I’m elated and do a celebratory dance.

Harbour area has clearly been valued by humans for thousands of years. More recently, the Visitor Centre and a Discovery Zone were built on a reclaimed landfill site which was in operation until the 1970s.

Medmerry reserve is the new kid on the block, or rather the peninsula. Adam Taylor, RSPB Site Manager for Eastern Solent Reserves, tells me that before the coastal realignment flood bank was completed in 2013, the low-lying land around Medmerry was prone to flooding from high tides and storms putting nearly 350 homes at risk.

“The Environment Agency made the decision to work with partners such as the RSPB on a long-term nature-based solution rather than making endless costly repairs to the shingle bank,” Adam says.

“The 4.3-mile-long flood bank was constructed using material scraped from within the site itself and then a breach created in the shingle beach. Once construction was completed, the RSPB took on day-to-day management of the reserve. The project has been so successful that it’s now used as a case study in GCSE geography.”

Inundated with salt water twice daily since 2013, the 310-hectare area between Medmerry’s flood bank and shingle beach is still transforming into saltmarsh and mudflats, providing a safe nursery for young fish and habitats for feeding and resting waders and wildfowl. Environmentally friendly management of surrounding farmland has also led to increases in many species including Skylark, Yellowhammer, Linnet and Corn Bunting.

The coastal realignment excavation work was the perfect opportunity for archaeologists from University College London to explore Medmerry’s early history too. The Mesolithic flints and Neolithic pot shards found suggest that humans may have hunted and farmed in this area since 8,000BC. More recently in World War Two, the Medmerry area was used as a practice bombing range and ordinance is still found on the shingle beach. As well as minimising disturbance to wildlife, that’s another good reason for visitors to stick to the paths.

1. The small, Robinsized Black Redstart is a Red-listed species

2. The Red Barn Ditch at Pagham Harbour

3. Pagham Harbour’s Ferry Channel

4. Marsh Harrier hunting among Teal

5. Many waders, including Ringed Plovers, are regular visitors to Medmerry

6. Volunteers working in the Discovery Zone woodland at Pagham Harbour

Previous: Saltmarsh and mudflats, lagoons, reedbeds, farmland and shingle beach all make up Pagham Harbour

A century apart

Our visit began at RSPB Pagham Harbour Visitor Centre, and the aroma of coffee fills a warm room where visitors can defrost on a cold day, buy snacks and chat to staff. Nicole, one of today’s Welcome Team, tells me that she’s been volunteering here regularly for a year. “I love hearing which birds visitors have seen when they pop in to warm up,” she says.

This Visitor Centre serves both Pagham Harbour and Medmerry, and, while the reserves are within walking distance of each other, they have similar origins separated by a century. “Pagham was used as a harbour probably from the Saxon era until the 1870s and was then reclaimed for farming by damming the harbour mouth,” Roy tells me. The shingle sea wall was damaged by a storm in 1910, and from then on the tides flowed in and out. The 600-plus hectares of tidal mudflats, saltmarsh and wet grassland which formed were designated as a nature reserve in 1964. With evidence of Bronze Age settlers, remains of a Roman seaport and a Norman keep, the Pagham

Plans are afoot to mark Medmerry’s 10-year anniversary and, once they’ve been confirmed, the reserve staff tell me they’ll be advertised widely.

Winter sights and sounds

After hearing about the fascinating history and ecology of the nature reserves, I walk with Roy and Gail along a path into Pagham Harbour, past the pond in the Discovery Zone which attracts Marsh Frogs, Grass Snakes and dragonflies in the summer. A Tawny Owl box, complete with nest cam, is being installed on a tree beyond the pond by a work party volunteer to add to the bird and bee nest cams which are already linked to the screens in the Visitor Centre. Beyond a wheelchair-accessible hide, we reach Ferry Channel, and find flocks of Wigeon whistling among patches of Sea Purslane; Redshank patrolling the mud; and Teal feeding. Over frosted Teasel heads, I spot a Marsh Harrier flapping leisurely across the saltmarsh. As an urban birdwatcher, I’m struck by how quiet it is here, other than the sound of birds, of course.

Photos: Our Media Studio; Richard Brooks, Nick Upton, David J Slater (all rspb-images.com).

‘The combination of sun, ice and the spectacle of flocks of winter birds is hard to beat’

“This is my favourite time of year on the two reserves,” Gail tells me. “The combination of sun, ice and the spectacle of flocks of winter birds is hard to beat.” She points across the harbour to the inland sea wall on the opposite side of the reserve, “Looking out from North Wall over there on an incoming tide is my favourite place to be for great views of overwintering waders and wildfowl.”

We scan the main harbour channel and can see large numbers of waders, but not the Dark-bellied Brent Geese which overwinter here from Siberia.

“I still can’t believe how lucky I am to now work in conservation after 22 years in the civil service,” Gail says, “and I love showing visitors, especially children, what you can see out on the mudflats.”

In a nearby copse we find the rest of the volunteers hard at work clearing brambles. A habitat is being created to attract back Nightingales, which last bred here in 2018. Cheryl tells me she lives locally and has been volunteering weekly over autumn and winter, “Even in the cold and wet I’ve enjoyed the variety of work from shifting tern rafts to removing invasive plants.” Cheryl sees herself as a beginner birdwatcher but tells me she learns a lot from experts here.

“My favourite place on the reserve is Church Norton,” she shares, which is next on our itinerary.

From the Visitor Centre we drive what would be a 2- mile walk to Church Norton car park on the southern tip of Pagham Harbour, and I can see why Cheryl thinks this place is special. The tide’s coming in fast but there’s still some exposed shingle from which we have great views of a seal eating a fish.

A flock of Grey Plovers are resting on a nearby island, and the calls of Curlews float across the water. Gail tells me this is the spot in summer to watch breeding birds such as Sandwich, Common and Little Terns.

Afternoon magic

Back at the Visitor Centre I meet long-term RSPB member Tony who’s been birdwatching at Pagham Harbour for nearly 70 years, and I ask what changes he’s noticed over that time. “It’s great to see Avocets doing well here despite the urban development around the two reserves,” he tells me. Pagham Harbour and Medmerry reserves are almost the only remaining undeveloped areas left on this part of the Sussex coast.

After lunch, Roy, Gail and I drive just under 3 miles to Medmerry and make our way along the main track through the reserve. Roy points out the Stilt Pools where the Avocets should breed in the summer and where a pair of Black-winged Stilts bred in 2014. Later, after the excitement of finding the Black Redstart, and with the sun sinking towards the Solent, my visit is drawing to an end. We’ve managed to squeeze both Pagham Harbour and Medmerry within a short winter’s day, but there’s more than enough to justify a longer visit to these two large reserves. I’ll definitely be coming again.

We’re walking back to the car when Gail points out a Barn Owl in front of us, quartering the fields outside of the flood bank. I watch, holding my breath, as this silent, luminous bird flies towards the shingle. Just for a moment, its pale feathers are lit up in vivid apricot shades against the orange and red sunset before it vanishes into the dusk. Magical.

Amanda Tuke is a birder, botanist and nature writer. London-based, she’s a passionate advocate for appreciating urban nature.

Above (left): Explore Medmerry with 6.25 miles of trails

Above (right): Brent Geese fly over flooded marshland at Pagham Harbour Photos: Our Media Studio; Nick Upton (rspb-images.com)

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Your legacy is nature’s future

At the RSPB we know our connection to nature is irreplaceable. We must nurture and protect it, because without it we are lost.

That’s why we’re working tirelessly to tackle the biggest threats facing our world, so one day we can truly thrive together.

A gift in your Will to the RSPB is one of the most powerful ways you can support this mission for generations to come.

Request your RSPB Gifts in Wills guide at rspb.org.uk/legacy or call one of our Legacy Advisers on 01767 669700

David Lindo

Farm life in the city

David

Lindo is The Urban Birder and founder of The Urban Birder World, theurbanbirder world.com

As kids we have an innate interest in nature that, especially in urban areas, tends to be kicked out of us by the time we become teenagers. The distractions created by modern technology, social media, and indeed modern society are just some of the things that draw us into a human-centric bubble where the main currency is instant gratification. For the average townie, the notion of nature is largely shaped by the media who often lead us into thinking wildlife is a rarely observed thing, found in the middle of nowhere and only seen by experts who have spent forever and a day sitting in a flimsy mosquito-infested tree hide. It also costs money to get there. We have been literally brainwashed into thinking that there is no such thing as nature in urban areas, if you discount the Foxes and pigeons.

I remember having a conversation about nature with my then 12-year-old nephew, Shaun. As a small child he had shown a massive interest in nature and, in particular, birds. He reminded me of myself at that age, drawing wildlife at any opportunity, collecting images of birds torn out of magazines and books and watching copious amounts of David Attenborough programmes. His mother had never shared my wonderment for nature when we were growing up. Indeed, she deliberately shunned anything to do with birds until her later life. And even then, I would occasionally catch her glancing up at a bird secretly trying her best to hide her action from me.

‘For the average townie, the notion of nature is largely shaped by the media who often lead us into thinking wildlife is a rarely observed thing, found in the middle of nowhere’

During our conversation, Shaun shocked me when he revealed that he had never seen a real cow before, nor watched waves crashing onto a rocky shore. Up until then he had led his entire life within the confines of West London. This was a phenomenon that I subsequently realised was common amongst urban kids. The next day I rectified what I deemed as an unimaginable situation and did what any loving uncle would have done. I took him to a city farm.

City farms are an interesting initiative –green, educational spaces with livestock and gardens that connect city people, and especially families with small kids, with farming, food production and, of course, the natural environment. The farms serve as fantastic hubs to bring people of all backgrounds together and are places where they can simply visit or get involved as a volunteer. They are often set up and run by collectives within local urban communities, and the farms themselves reflect the character of the neighbourhood. Best of all, they are all charities and, crucially, are free to enter making them accessible for all households. There are now over 60 such farms across the UK with the one in London’s Kentish Town, squeezed between two railway lines and dense urbanity in Camden, being the first to swing open its gates in 1972. The original concept was to replicate the small mixed farmsteads that existed before the rise of the industrial revolution.

At the time of my visit with Shaun, I was a patron for Spitalfields City Farm in East London, so that was our destination. I loved watching the looks of wonder and awe on my young nephew’s face as he tickled the chins of the goats and patted the necks of donkeys and cattle.

City Farms are so important for urban kids and their first engagements with the animals kept there. However, these centres face hardships in terms of funding to keep the places going. Some have been threatened with closure, with a few actually going under, whilst others were rescued by crowdfunding from the community. City farms are clearly important for local communities. If there is one near you then please offer your hand in support.

WORKING WITH RSPB FAIR TO NATURE TO

Summerdown’s restorative herbal teas, made from the herbs grown on our Hampshire farm, are RSPB Fair to Nature certified which means at least 10% of our farm is managed as habitats for wildlife, creating space for nature to thrive. Together, we’re making it easier for everyone to make nature-friendly choices.

Available at www.summerdown.com and in delis, farm shops and food halls across the UK.

forTogether nature

Your stories

‘Sights along the way boosted my spirits’

I was approaching 70 and wanted to take on a fun challenge inspired by my passion for nature and concern for the climate. I decided to cycle 4,000 miles around Britain’s coast in three months to raise money for the RSPB and Sustrans. Since retiring, I’ve done a lot of cycling, and the fact that it is also a sustainable way of travelling around marries my two interests very well! As well as raising money and awareness for these charities, this trip would give me a chance to celebrate and explore the British coast.

My body held up and I avoided injury – bar a tick bite in Scotland. Sadly, the bike I set out on didn’t do as well and had to be replaced. I was cycling around 50 miles a day and by the end had climbed a total ascent of 65,575 metres – the equivalent of going up Mount Everest seven times!

It was certainly tough, and it could be lonely at times – although my partner Carol was able to join me for some parts of the journey. The sights along the way boosted my spirits: taking in the beauty of the south-west coast of Scotland; seeing bluebells and trees blooming; cycling alongside Oystercatchers and waders; seeing Gannets on Bass Rock and nesting birds at Bempton Cliffs. I even saw a Golden Eagle briefly.

I’ve been a member of the RSPB for decades and admire their work. I’m always looking out for birds and am hugely concerned about climate change, so fundraising for the charity felt like a natural fit. I hope the money raised can be used to protect and enhance habitats and for reintroduction projects, as well as being put towards more campaigning. Let’s get the gloves off, it’s time to make a difference.

Bill

MAKE MEMORIES Plan a fun day out for the whole family at one of our nature reserves, events. rspb.org.uk

Photo: Dave Caudery

Your say

Star letter

Bowled away!

Back in August, I had a rather shocking start to my day when I woke to find a live bat struggling in my toilet bowl! I firstly panicked and then, whilst talking on the telephone to my daughter, devised a plan for its safe rescue.

Both of us were aware that we should not touch the bat as only registered bat handlers are allowed to do this; so, I very carefully scooped the bat up using a cup I use to fill my bird seed feeders. I then placed the bat in a washing up bowl lined with kitchen paper, and popped the bowl in a dark corner in my garage.

The Bat Conservation Trust’s helpline gave me advice and put me in touch with a local volunteer handler who could assist and look after the bat. She identified the bat as a female Common Pipistrelle, and we were relieved to hear that she was not injured and just exhausted. We decided to call her Loo Loo.

After a few days’ rest and feeding, Loo Loo was ready for release, which we were invited to watch! Should you find yourself in a similar situation, you can find the details you need here: bats.org.uk

Lesley Waller

Frame-worthy photos

When I was younger I would cut out bird photos from magazines and newspapers for ID purposes.

I am now 75 and can afford the published bird guides. I have just purchased RSPB Seabirds by Marianne Taylor, what a wonderful book. Keep up the good work and keep putting large photos in the magazine suitable for framing. I am sure people who can’t afford the guide books would appreciate that.

Keith Walker

Heated seat!

I live in Little Haywood, near Stafford, and a Woodpigeon has learnt to sit on top of the light sensor on a street lamp on our estate. This switches the lamp on and the lamp

casing gets warm. When the weather is cold it sits there for quite some time. Whether it is the same pigeon or not I don’t know, but this has gone on for several years. I have seen this happening on at least one other lamp-post in the estate.

Nigel Peckett

Ed: This is a great example of learned behaviour! The Woodpigeon likely used the lamp as a perch some time ago and learnt that it provides warmth. Another example of this is when birds roost in car parks since such urban areas can offer more warmth compared with other habitats.

Moment of appreciation

My husband and I have just become new RSPB members after

visiting RSPB Bempton Cliffs back in May. I’m not the main bird enthusiast out of the pair of us, but I couldn’t help but be impressed with your Spring/Summer 2023 edition of The RSPB Magazine. It’s proved to be very informative; I wasn’t aware that Curlews are Red-listed and part of a rapidly declining population. It made me realise how lucky I am to see a pair of Curlews during the breeding season on my daily dog walk. I love to hear their distinctive cry as they protect their nests from predators. So, thank you for helping me understand what a precious world we live in, and I will be willing the Curlews to have a successful breeding season this year.

Jane Kelly

The star letter wins a pair of RSPB 8x32 Avocet binoculars from our Viking Optical range. Waterproof, nitrogen-filled and robust. To see the full range, visit rspbshop.co.uk

Above: This clever Woodpigeon activates the street lights to stay warm!

Lunch companion

Yesterday morning, the Summer/ Autumn issue of The RSPB Magazine arrived. I decided not to open it right away as I was going to take a walk through the Dalmeny estate which lies on the south side of the Forth Estuary between Edinburgh and South Queensferry. I had walked about half way and was just finishing a spot of lunch when I noticed a movement in the grass next to me. To my surprise, there was a small furry creature having its lunch beside me. It was brownish, about 3cm long and completely oblivious to my presence. I watched it for a few minutes then slowly got my camera out and managed to take a couple of photos before it headed back into the longer grass. At the time I thought it could be a vole or, as it was not easy to see in the grass, possibly a mouse. After I got home, I opened the magazine to find the article on page 15 about identifying voles and mice. So, now I can confirm that it was a Field Vole. My photos might not be the best wildlife images in the world, but who cares when one shares lunch with such a nice wee beastie.

Ray Scoble

Special occasion

My son Alex proposed to his girlfriend Siana on Saturday 22 July at the Galley Hill, at RSPB The Lodge. Although it rained continually that Saturday, it did not dampen our spirits as Siana accepted. Siana and Alex also joined the RSPB during their visit. Both have a keen liking for wildlife and nature.

Martin Thurlow

Returning visitor

We think that the female Blackbird in our garden last year returned to us this year. This may be wishful thinking, but it seemed that she recognised us and would make a tutting noise to tell us that the dish of calciworms needed filling up! She has been very accepting of our presence pretty close to the feeding station. We ‘tut’ back to her when food is filled back up and she comes straight back to it either to feed herself or fill her beak up and take it to her chicks.

Last year she had three clutches of chicks. This year she has had four clutches! Both years the nest has been built in the same place. Alas we are now sad in a way, as she has gone off elsewhere. But what a remarkable mum she has been! We have felt so privileged to have been able to assist her to have such a successful breeding time.

I hope others have had a similar experience. We will now spend our time watching the Hedgehogs on their trips to their feeding stations in the garden. Isn’t nature wonderful!

Sue Welch

Holiday highlight

Staying at one’s parents-in-law’s for a whole week may not sound like a thrilling summer holiday! However, it was just that for me this August thanks to the pair of Sparrowhawks that nested in a cedar tree visible from the bedroom my wife and I stay in. The sound of the two fledglings’ repeated calls was the backdrop to our stay.

It is the first time Sparrowhawks have nested in the garden in the 20 or so years that my parents-in-law have lived at the Oxfordshire property. Their impact on other garden visitors was interesting to see: the Magpies seem interested in the nest – perhaps hoping for scraps? – but also nervous; there was a distinct reduction in songbirds visiting the garden, and far fewer Woodpigeons.

The fledglings’ ungainly practise flights from tree to tree were a joy to watch. They didn’t seem to fear us humans, and carried out their activities unhindered – including honing their hunting skills. They were curious about some of our activities: during my morning dips, they swooped over the uncovered pool. One warm morning, a young Sparrowhawk landed on the side of the pool and proceeded to behave as if trying to take a dust bath on the sun-warmed flagstones! It peered over the edge into the pool, lost its balance, and was narrowly saved from joining me for a dip by frantically flapping its wings! It was an absolute privilege to be so close to such magnificent birds finding their wings in the world!

Lucy Walker-Mitchell

Changing diet

For many years our nestbox has been used by Blue Tits. This year, however, we were amazed to see the adults coming to our sunflower seed holders to take seeds to the young. My wife and I thought that if this continued the young would not know they were supposed to eat caterpillars and other insects. The young Blue Tits then came to the seeds regularly, and now we also have a Robin coming for seeds. We do not use insecticides and have nettles and long grass, but we have only seen one caterpillar in the garden. The only aphids have been the big blue Lupin Aphids, which birds have never touched. This is a very worrying trend.

David Gibbons

Ed: Climate change may alter the timing of caterpillar availability that would normally coincide with Blue Tits hatching. Adult birds may therefore choose an alternative food source, such as the sunflower seeds, to feed their young. Fledglings remain with their parents for a few weeks and will naturally learn where to find different food sources.

Below (top): A Field Vole kept Ray company during his lunch break

Below (bottom): Congratulations to Alex and Siana who got engaged at our nature reserve in Sandy!

Send your wildlife photos to The RSPB Magazine See page 3 for details

Star photo

Mandarin Duck

I took this photo in Etherow Country Park in Stockport. There are many Mandarin Ducks there, and I had wanted a picture of one for a while as they are so beautiful. I was happy to capture one with such feather detail.

Matt Mason

RSPB Shop bundle worth £250!

Our star amateur photo wins £250 to spend on anything at the RSPB Shop! From wildlifegarden ideas to homewares, books and even chocolate, everything is produced in the most sustainable and nature-friendly way possible, and proceeds go directly towards wildlife conservation. So treat yourself or a loved one, safe in the knowledge that you’re supporting both wildlife and sustainable, ethical businesses.

1. Grasshopper Warbler by Angela Cheesmond

2. Bittern and Peregrine Falcon by Tim Miller

3. Corncrake by Bryony Stimpson

4. Minke Whale at Bempton Cliffs by Yvonne Carrington

5. Cuckoo and Wren by Tony Nelson

6. Spoonbill by Peter Hassett

Your gardens

Nature’s therapy

Adrian Thomas visits the RSPB’s President, Dr Amir Khan, to find out how wildlife-friendly gardening is perfect for body, soul and planet

I had heard that our new RSPB President, Dr Amir Khan, has a wonderful garden, so it felt only right that I find out all about it!

In particular, I was keen to learn more about his passion for the benefits of gardening with wellbeing in mind.

Amir moved into a village just outside Leeds nine years ago, inheriting a small garden that at that point was, in his words, just a “sloping rubbishy lawn”. He created terraces, dug out flower borders, excavated a pond and then started adding plants.

It is now wonderfully rich with trees, shrubs and climbers, nestboxes, bird feeders... oh, and flowers, everywhere! The garden is surrounded by those of

neighbours, except on one side where, beyond the fence, a strip of scrub provides a barrier from a main road. This narrow wild corridor helps bring a lot of wildlife in, and when I visited in August I was struck by how many birds were in the garden, including Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, and even a Willow Warbler.

I was also taken by their tameness.

“That’s because I’m in the garden whenever I can,” Amir says. “When the Blue Tits were raising their young, I was always out here, they got used to me. We’ve even got a couple of Bullfinches.”

Sure enough, I soon heard the soft piping calls as they arrived onto the feeders.

It’s not just birds that come in numbers. Every evening, the Hedgehogs arrive – at least three, and sometimes up to six – to dine on kitten biscuits!

Amir has no background in gardening. He grew up in Bradford in a terraced back-to-back with a small yard –“Bullfinches didn’t feature in our lives then!” He learnt how to garden through trial and error, looking at books and reading every plant label.

“Everything I grow is geared towards insects and other wildlife, but the garden also has to be a social place to enjoy with family and friends and for my nieces to play hide and seek. And that’s the great

Fruit trees in pots jostle with a rich assortment of flowering plants on the terrace.

thing – you can create something that is good for humans and for wildlife.”

Amir is especially passionate about the health benefits of being in nature. When he was at medical school, nothing was taught about the value of outdoor spaces. Then, as a Junior Doctor, life was very stressful and he would go for walk or a run to clear his head. “I’d feel so much better, and it made me wonder what it is about being outside that is so good for us, and why the NHS isn’t harnessing this.”

Much of Amir’s time is now spent promoting nature for health and wellbeing. And when he returns from work, whether in front of the cameras at ITV or in front of his patients at his GP practice, the first thing he does is come into the garden.

It is his place to unwind. “After all, we are part of nature,” he says. “And isn’t it just wonderful?!”

Amir’s top tips for encouraging wildlife

1 Plants are the starting point for a nature-rich garden. Choose those that are nature friendly. The mullein is popular with the hoverflies, the eupatorium is wonderful for insects, and the birds love the fruit on my plum and apple trees.

2 Put in a pond. Such a variety of wildlife will come to visit. I get dragonflies, frogs, toads, plus birds coming down to drink.

3

Just do what you can. Every positive act has benefit, and for a little effort you can help species that are under threat, such as Hedgehogs, Starlings and House Sparrows.

1. Amir loves the idea that the things you do in your outdoor space can help produce the next generation. This is one of his 2023 ‘crop’ of Robins!

2. Lonicera periclymenum –

Common Honeysuckle – is such an exotic-looking flower, but this climber is native, easy to grow, great for insects, and bears berries for birds

3. Cosmos bipinnatus is such a good pollinator plant and so easy to grow from seed in spring, creating masses of flowers all summer long

4. A bird’s-eye view of Amir’s upper terrace, a riot of colour and cover for wildlife

Photos: Adrian Thomas

Climbing plants such as Blue Passion Flower and clematis cloak the house walls.

Clockwise from top left:

Amir certainly proves that a wildlife-friendly garden can be a beautiful one!

How to

Create a garden for wildlife in pots

Many of us have patios or decking that can be barren for wildlife. As Amir shows, this is where growing plants in pots is an ideal solution. So, how can you create a display as healthy as his?

Use a peat-free compost, ideally mixed with loam.

Make sure pots have good drainage holes. Many pot plants need extra food, so use an organic slow-release fertiliser or liquid feed.

Activity Switch on to nature

“When you go out into nature, your happy brain chemicals – dopamine and serotonin – go up,“ Amir says. “Your stress hormones decrease, and your heart rate and blood pressure drop.

“You don’t need to do anything for this to happen – your body does it for you! Just two hours a week in green space is beneficial to mental health but anything is better than nothing. Don’t focus on the time; it’s about the quality.

“Stop, focus and observe. Listen to the birds. Just being outside in natural light will give you a better night’s sleep. Become more inclined to do it. And when we do that, we are more inclined to protect those spaces as well.”

Be prepared that plants in pots do need more water than those in the ground – install a water butt to avoid using the mains supply.

Cluster pots together to create a moist microclimate around the plants and stop the pot baking.

Great wildlife-friendly plants for pots include agapanthus, cosmos, heathers, and many herbs such as lavenders, thymes and marjoram.

What to grow now Lavatera x clementii

Common name: Tree Mallow

Origin: A hybrid of two Mediterranean/European species, Malva olbia and Malva thuringiaca, and closely related to native species of mallow.

It is a semi-evergreen shrub, growing to about 2–3m tall and about 2m wide.

There are several different garden varieties in shades of white, pink and burgundy. Popular varieties include Barnsley Baby, Mont Blanc, Blushing Bride and Rosea.

The single open flowers are borne freely all summer long in a stunning display and are enjoyed by a range of bee species and other pollinators. It is Amir’s favourite plant for pollinators.

Typically sterile, it won’t set seed everywhere and become invasive.

Likes a sunny position and a free-draining soil. Keep sheltered from cold winds. Can struggle if temperatures reach below -5°C.

Prune hard in early spring to about 60cm to keep tidy; it will grow back and flower vigorously by summer.

Also known as Malva x clementii

Starting early

We thought we’d share a few photos with you of our little wildlife-friendly garden in North Somerset. It’s a typical smallish suburban garden, and when we first moved in there was only a lawn and gravel!

My four-year-old daughter, Ivy, is a keen gardener and she loves animals; her two-year-old sister is following in her footsteps.

As well as garden birds, we’ve had toads, frogs, Slow-worms, resident Hedgehogs and a resident mouse (both live in the Hedgehog house and we caught them on the wildlife camera).

We’re also lucky to have lots of creepy crawlies. It shows what can be achieved whilst keeping things fun for the kids and the family.

Arlene Robinson

Two years ago I felt my rural garden was getting a bit much for me and decided to change my tidy garden for one that wildlife would enjoy more. I stopped the regular pruning and removal of plants in the ‘wrong place’. I increased the areas of long grass, allowed plants to seed where they wanted to and even resisted pulling up dandelions and leaving them for the bees. We’ve always had lots of birds in the garden, but now they are everywhere, pecking at the long grass seeds, berries and dead flower heads which would previously have been cut down.

In spring, the hum of bees is constant and tiny moths and butterflies hover over the grass. The extra ground cover is home to young hares and to voles which could be the reason for catching a Tawny Owl on the night camera recently. I would recommend being less tidy in the garden because the result is wonderful.

Linda El-Ghorr

Grassroots

Nature on Your Doorstep

Many people probably don’t realise they, like Arlene and family, have Slow-worms in the garden. On the RSPB’s Nature on Your Doorstep webpages, you will find advice for how to make your space brilliant for all sorts of wildlife, including making ‘sunbeds’ and hibernacula for Slowworms. And, of course, get yourself a copy of Adrian’s award-winning book, RSPB Gardening for Wildlife, from the RSPB shop. rspb.org.uk/shop

Start your journey

We’re on the lookout for gardens –no matter what size – where you’re doing amazing things to help nature. Contact adrian.thomas@rspb.org.uk with some photos and a description of what you’ve done.

Ivy (great name!) proudly shows a beetle she has found.

Yellow-legged Mining Bee

Together for nature Your questions

Your questions

Questions answered by India James, Siân Denney and Molly Brown, RSPB Wildlife team Ask us about wildlife at YourQuestions@rspb.org.uk

What behaviour are these Robins demonstrating?

Chris Shaw

We love these photos of Robins displaying courtship feeding! This is a behaviour which takes place between two adult birds; the female uses a sharp, monosyllabic call to encourage the male to offer her food. Although called courtship feeding, this is most common when the female is developing, laying and incubating her eggs, rather than during the courtship stage. The male can supply her with more than a third of her total food intake during the nest-building and egg-laying period, which provides her with essential nutrients.

Which is which?

Guillemot vs Razorbill

Guillemots and Razorbills belong to the auk family and are two of the UK’s most commonly seen auks during winter. Auks are heavy-bodied seabirds with short tails, small, narrow wings and short legs set far back on the body. Being both mediumsized and similar in colour, Guillemots and Razorbills can cause confusion at this time of year when in winter plumage. Both of these birds are Amber-listed, although breeding populations are significantly different, with 950,000 pairs of Guillemots and 165,000 pairs of Razorbills.

Do Red Squirrels hibernate?

Interestingly, Red Squirrels do not hibernate! Instead, they are just less active during the winter period because of the extra energy required to keep warm. They make use of the food they have stored and buried, such as nuts, seeds and berries, to help sustain themselves until spring. You can try and catch a glimpse of these beautiful mammals at RSPB Brading Marshes on the Isle of Wight.

Guillemot

• Slim and narrow shape

• Chocolate-brown and white plumage

• Long, thin, pointed beak

• Smoky, streaked flanks and underwings

• Projecting feet in flight

• In winter, the neck and side of the face become white

Razorbill

• Stocky shape

• Black and white plumage

• Short, thick, blunt beak with distinguishing white lines across tip

• Pure-white flanks and underwings

• Feet tucked beneath tail in flight

• In winter, the head becomes mostly white

Photos: Chris Shaw; Jules Cox, Kevin Sawford (both rspb-images.com).

Illustrations: Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)

Johnny Morillo

Have you ever wondered if Kingfishers are found on the coast?

Dillon Murphy

Whilst Kingfishers are typically found inland along streams, rivers and canals, during the winter they will sometimes also be seen at locations on the coast. Harsh winter weather can have a big impact on food availability. As a result, some Kingfishers move away from their breeding territories in the autumn and winter to coastal sites, such as estuaries and seashores, in search of food. Their movements can vary greatly between years depending on the severity of the weather. Whilst they mainly eat freshwater fish, they do also go for marine fish, and even crustaceans and molluscs!

PLEASE NOTE

We do not advise putting out pet hair treated with anti-parasite medicines or human hair due to the risk of entanglement and the use of hair products that may be toxic to birds.

Why are air sacs important for birds and can they become damaged?

The avian pulmonary system uses ‘flow-through ventilation’, relying on a network of air sacs to move air through the lungs. These thin-walled structures can rupture following predator attack or collision, for example, or this can occur spontaneously. Perforations may cause balloonshaped swellings if air leaks out and accumulates under the skin. These vary in size. In many cases, birds recover with air sacs healing efficiently. In severe cases, large swellings might interfere with eating or flying. Reporting such cases at gardenwildlifehealth.org helps to monitor diseases.

How to…

Help amphibians and reptiles during winter

Whilst we might see reptiles basking in the sun or frogs hopping around a pond in spring and summer, they are usually hidden away during winter to hibernate from the cold. A hibernaculum is an underground home for amphibians and reptiles, made up of multiple chambers. You can create one in your own garden by digging a hole (50cm deep by 1.5m wide) and filling it with logs, branches and rocks. Slot a few entrance tunnels (you can use offcuts of drainpipe) around the sides and cover with soil to create a mound. The entrance tunnels should be exposed and at ground level. This hibernaculum will provide the perfect shelter for a range of amphibians and reptiles over the colder months.

Great to hear you want to help nesting birds! Natural fibres and plant material can be placed in hanging baskets for birds to easily collect. These might include grasses or leaves from shrubs. Some birds, such as Starlings, will use moss raked from your lawn. Many species, including House Martins, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds, need mud to construct their nests so creating a small, muddy patch in your garden can support their efforts. Untreated wool is also favoured by many birds and can be purchased from the RSPB shop: shopping.rspb.org.uk

What a lovely feather! Going by the size (8cm) and patterning, this looks to be a secondary feather (a flight feather grown closer to the body) from a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Both their primary and secondary feathers are black with large white spots, but the size of the feather points to it being a secondary feather.

Photos: Paul Sawer (rspb-images.com); Jane Jones; Lauryn Donnelly

James Saliba

Meredith Black

Jane Jones

Hibernaculum

Blue Tit

Perforated air sac

Robin

Alluring Atlantic Canada

Explore the dramatic beauty and fascinating history of Atlantic Canada’s four provinces with a 19-night self-drive tour from Canadian Sky

Embark on a nature-lover’s adventure of a lifetime and take in the stunning scenery of Atlantic Canada on a self-drive tour.

Nova Scotia

Your adventure begins in the vibrant capital city of Halifax. Soak up its charm before taking a coastal drive along the infamous Lighthouse Route. From there, take in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lunenburg. The colourful buildings, fronted by gently bobbing ships, make for a picture-perfect location to soak up a sunset. Whether you drift on the meandering rivers or hike the lush forests, visit Kejimkujik National Park to look out for Monarch Butterflies and dashes of yellow from the Canada Warbler.

New Brunswick

To reach New Brunswick’s Saint John, Canada’s oldest incorporated city, you’ll sail the Bay of Fundy – famed for its extreme tidal variation and ecosystem supporting a rich variety of wildlife, seabirds and whales. Drive the beautiful rugged coastline to discover Fundy National Park and UNESCO Fundy Biosphere Reserve and

then onto the Hopewell Rocks to witness the highest tides in the world.

Prince Edward Island

Next stop is Charlottetown, its picturesque waterfront offering stunning ocean views and charming historic architecture. The city is renowned for its local food, including fresh seafood and farm-to-table cuisine. It’s rich in culture, with theatres, art galleries, and festivals celebrating its heritage. Before leaving the island, keep an eye out for the provincial bird – the Blue Jay.

Newfoundland & Labrador

Atlantic Canada’s easternmost province is the epitome of natural beauty. Watch Caribou grazing in the glacier-formed mountains of Gros Morne National Park and witness 10,000-year-old icebergs appear off the coast. A whale-watching trip is a must, with the world’s largest population of Humpback Whales attracted to the rich feeding grounds here. The windswept coastline make this the perfect breeding spot for over 35 million seabirds too – earning the province the title of North America’s seabird capital.

Explore Atlantic Canada with Canadian Sky

Canadian Sky’s 19-night self-drive tour ‘Explore Atlantic Canada’ costs from £2,999pp.

This includes:

Return flights from London to Halifax Nova Scotia

Fully comprehensive car hire

An electronic roadbook

19 nights’ accommodation and a free wildlife excursion exclusive to The RSPB Magazine readers.

To book, or to see the full range of tours, visit canadiansky.co.uk or call 01342 331792 and quote ‘RSPB MAGAZINE’.

Clockwise: See Puffins, Gannets and shearwaters breaching whales off the coast of New Brunswick; sea stacks at Hopewell Rocks; Lunenburg in Nova Scotia

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Winter wonders

Whilst some of our wildlife hibernates and others have migrated to warmer climes for the season, there are still plenty of spirit-lifting sights to enjoy on our nature reserves

t’s

6.30am on a crisp, chilly morning and Paula Baker is watching the sky over Loch Lomond. As the sun is rising 10,000 geese rise with it. These birds have spent the night safely on the water, and now it’s time to feed on the grasses, roots and leaves in the fields nearby. The air fills with their loud contact calls as they head off, in V formation, to find their breakfast.

“It’s worth the early start,” Paula, who manages the RSPB’s Loch Lomond nature reserve, enthuses. “The sight, the sound: it’s a really uplifting experience.”

She reflects that thousands of geese flying overhead provide a perfect, and breathtaking, antidote during what can be a challenging time of the year.

Around 9,000 of these birds are Pink-footed Geese, heralded by their squeaky ‘wink-wink’ cackle. They’ve arrived from Iceland and Greenland, along with around 1,000 Greylag Geese. Joining them are about 250 Greenland White-fronted Geese, 1.5% of the global population of this subspecies, and the reason this area attracts special conservation attention.

Why do all these geese choose Loch Lomond?

First, there’s plenty of easily accessible food – fresh, sweet grass to graze on in the meadows around the loch. The grass is the perfect length for the geese thanks to a careful system of grazing. Cows and sheep are on the site from May to October, leaving just in time for the arrival of the flocks. The site team use a

Previous page: Join one of our sunrise goose walks at Loch Lomond to witness a winter spectacle

1. Bearded Tits are a reedbed highlight at RSPB Dungeness

2. Pink-footed Geese arrive across the UK in thousands from Greenland and Iceland in winter Below left.

Thousands of wildfowl flock to Dearne Valley Old Moor in winter Below right: Flood plains at Exminster and Powderham Marshes create an ideal habitat for Black-tailed Godwits

Nature reserves in winter Our work

special tractor, funded through the LIFE 100% for Nature project, to remove thicker vegetation such as rush and sedge that can take over the grassland.

Another vital piece of work for the team is ensuring that the geese aren’t disturbed while they are feeding. Every time they are flushed from the field by people or dogs, they lose energy. So Paula and her colleagues make sure that visitors and local residents know the needs of the geese. They even have a ‘Goose Guardians’ scheme in a local primary school, helping prepare the next generation of farmers whose stewardship of the land will shape the future of the birds.

Heathland highlights

Heading 500 miles to the south, it’s the busiest time of the year for the team at RSPB Arne in Dorset. Senior Site Manager Peter Robertson explains, “Our team will be out managing gorse and invasive Scots pines to keep the heathland open. This reaches a pre-Christmas high point with Pull a Pine, our biggest annual event where people help us clear pines from the heath and get to take one home as a Christmas tree.”

Arne is home to a real heathland specialist, the Dartford Warbler. This little bird is one of the UK’s few overwintering warblers. It shelters deep in the gorse during cold weather, seeking spiders and small insects to eat. If you’re lucky you may see one here, flicking up its tail as it perches on top of a gorse bush.

Meanwhile in Arne’s wintry woodlands, the UK’s smallest birds, Firecrests and Goldcrests, join Coal Tits, Long-tailed Tits and Siskins in winter feeding flocks. These mixed-species groups move through the trees together in search of seeds and any insects that might emerge on milder days.

Arne’s Shipstal hide is a good vantage point for viewing the UK’s largest overwintering flock of

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‘Over 20,000 ducks, geese and waders, including Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits, make Exe Estuary their winter home’

Spoonbills in Poole Harbour. In October 2022 the peak number of these striking waterbirds was around 84! There’s now a pair of White-tailed Eagles resident in the area, often around the Arne shoreline. Peter’s advice is to keep your eyes to the skies anywhere on the nature reserve for these magnificent raptors.

Winter wetlands

Over 20,000 ducks, geese and waders, including Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits, make the Exe Estuary, including the RSPB nature reserves there, their winter home. As at other RSPB sites, it is no accident that these are popular places for birds.

“We cattle graze from spring to autumn, to create a varied grass sward for nesting waders and ducks,” says Site Manager Natalie Holt. “This creates microenvironments for insects which are important in the wetland food chain, and dung from the cows contributes to this rich habitat.”

At the end of the summer, once the ground-nesting waders and ducks have moved on, the site team begins

Below left: Head to Portmore Lough to see Greylag Geese

Below right: Visitors to RSPB Arne help out with the Pull a Pine event

cutting (‘topping’) vegetation that hasn’t been eaten by the cattle. Wintering waders and wildfowl need grass to be short so they have open areas in which to feel safe to feed and roost. Once the cattle have gone, ducks and geese continue as grazers, keeping the habitat in good condition for ground-nesting waders such as Lapwing.

The RSPB’s Exminster and Powderham Marshes are part of a flood plain and a flood alleviation scheme for Exeter. In winter, the nature reserves in this area fill with water, generally from rainfall or coming from water overflowing from the ditch network on the Exminster Marshes. Natalie explains, “We want the sites wet in this period so there’s soft ground for feeding and large areas of water where ducks will ‘raft up’ to feel safe. Getting the grassland wet also brings all the grass seed up to the surface – an important food source for some ducks.”

At RSPB Portmore Lough in Northern Ireland there are Whooper Swans and Greylag Geese arriving from Iceland. You’ll also find Irish Hares here. Another fantastic wetland nature reserve is RSPB Rye Meads in Hertfordshire. An urban oasis, it’s alive with ducks during the winter: Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Shoveler, Pochard, Mallard and Teal! It’s also one of the best places to see Kingfishers all year round.

Reedbed raptures

Sometimes described as an alien landscape or even ‘the UK’s only desert’, Dungeness in Kent is an extraordinary location for watching wildlife. Here, on the RSPB’s oldest nature reserve (purchased in 1932), much of the vast open space is covered with shingle. But there are wetlands, too: pools, reedbeds and flooded gravel pits. And these are the perfect places for many winter ducks, from the elegant Pintail to the stunning Smew.

The Dungeness team maintain this habitat, keeping the right plants in the right places. “Much of our winter

‘Visitors love to hear the crunch of ice-crusted leaves underfoot and find glistening cobwebs bejewelled with icy droplets’

is spent controlling the growth of bramble and willow,” explains the Warden, Craig Edwards. “The willow will grow in reedbeds, making them less appealing for Bittern and Marsh Harrier. It can also shade the water too much, which impacts our rarer species such as Great Crested Newt and Medicinal Leech which thrive in some of the warmer, shingle margins.”

Sea Buckthorn is cleared too, to prevent it encroaching on the shingle. With the shingle area clear, very rare plants such as Warnes Thread-moss and Jersey Cudweed can thrive. Another benefit of removing some of the larger, shrubby plants is that visitors can enjoy better views of Dungeness’ birds. Craig adds, “The Bearded Tits are a favourite of the team here as they tend to come and feed in areas where we have been working in the reedbed. It’s an almost instant gratification of the willow being cleared!”

RSPB member Will Strange recommends a winter visit to RSPB Newport Wetlands, on the Severn Estuary. Will recalls, “Last December I visited on a clear day when the lakes were frozen over, and I was

Below left: Bitterns can be seen in reedbeds at Newport Wetlands

Below right: Will Strange was fortunate to see an Otter and her kits at Newport Wetlands

fortunate to experience a magical moment as an Otter came out onto the ice with her three kits.”

Newport Wetlands is also a great place to see magical Starling murmurations. The birds arrive in November and often stay until January. At dusk they swirl over the reedbeds in their thousands before settling down for the night. The site’s Visitor Experience Manager, Kirsty Lindsay, says, “It’s a nature spectacle everyone should see at least once!”

Tiny treasures

Big flocks and charismatic mammals aren’t the only reasons to visit RSPB nature reserves in winter. Visitors love to hear the crunch of ice-crusted leaves underfoot and find glistening cobwebs bejewelled with icy droplets, like upended chandeliers.

RSPB member Sally Foreman loves to visit her local RSPB nature reserve, Dearne Valley Old Moor, in winter. “If there has been a hoar frost, it’s the first place I think of to visit,” Sally says. “Icy and frozen wetlands filled with frosty seedheads are so beautiful.”

From sky-filling spectacles to tiny treasures, there’s always plenty to see on RSPB nature reserves during winter. And it’s thanks to your support that these sights and sounds are there delighting us all despite the cold. See what you can discover at your local site this winter. rspb.org.uk/days-out

Jamie Wyver has visited 40 of the RSPB’s nature reserves since joining the Young Ornithologists’ Club in the 1980s. He loves to explore them during winter.

Photos: Chris Howes/Wild Places Photography (Alamy Stock Photo); Will Strange

Find your perfect hideaway

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Proudly supporting the RSPB to help restore British woodland*

Quality self-catering holiday homes across the UK

Classified

To advertise here, please contact Kirsty Hibbert, 0117 300 8101, kirsty.hibbert@ourmedia.co.uk

ENGLAND

Nr Penzance. 2 remote cottages on Penwith moors. Slps 2-4. Available all year. See for miles across fields & heathland down to the sea. Nr Marazion Marsh & Hayle Estuary. Tel: 01736 363677. www.dingdongcottages.co.uk

Port Isaac. Cottage for 6 in bygone fishing hamlet on N coast. Washer-dryer, dishwasher, PC + wireless broadband, full CH. Gardens. Pets welcome. £300 (winter) – £950 pw. Tel: 01208 880106

Cawsand Coastal sea views, AONB, wild garden, abundant woodland, bird life, relaxing space, 2 dbls. April–Oct Sat to Sat. 07900 994231. makerevents@hotmail.com for info.

South East Cornwall Luxury s/c lodges in AONB with woodland, meadow, lake and River Fowey on site. Wildlife and bird-watcher’s paradise. Great location for exploring Cornwall.

Challan Hall Mews bordering Gait Barrows reserve in the Silverdale AONB. 1ml from Leighton Moss RSPB, a 1 bedroom gnd floor apartment. Tel: 07498 855848 raymondmmorris54@hotmail.co.uk

Next to Leighton Moss, Lancs/Cumbria border & Gait Barrow AONB. B&B overlooks Haweswater Lake. Challan Hall. 01524 701054

Arnside, s/c flat on promenade slps 4, estuary views, Leighton Moss 15 mins. 01539 625867. www.inglewoodcourt.co.uk

Lake District, Ravenglass. Enchanting coastal cottage, sleeps 3, panoramic sea/estuary views. Near Drigg, Duddon, St Bees, Hawk & Owl Centre, Eskdale, Wasdale, Scafell. www.rosycot.co.uk 01946 723413

Holsworthy. Bird-friendly farm. Cabin, sleeps up to 6, Wi-Fi, wood burner. On Ruby Way national cycle route, nr. DWT reserves, Dartmoor and N. Cornwall coast. 01409 253570

Exmoor, nr Dulverton Very comfy cottage in tranquil secret setting, fine views, direct access ancient woodland nature reserve (SSSI), moor & river. Ideal location for birdwatching and walking. Sleeps 2-4. Tel/fax: 01225 464 232. www.mounseyend.co.uk

Glorious North Devon. Only 9 cosy caravans on peaceful farm. Wonderful walks in woods & meadows. Easy reach sea, moors & lovely days out. £125-£395pw. Discount couples. Nice pets welcome. 01769 540366 www.snapdown.co.uk

Barn owl, dipper, kingfisher, otters

Separate annex slps 2, nr river with 34 acres. On Devon/Cornwall border, 01566 784196, www.coombemillshippen.co.uk

Nr. Weymouth. Comfortable VE4+ cottage slps 4. Nr Jurassic coast & bird reserves. 01305 760120. www.stonebank-chickerell.co.uk

Forest of Dean, Stunning loc, direct access to forest. Secluded cott slps 6. Lge garden. Dogs welcome. Parking. RSPB Nagshead 4 mls. 07581 302496. air.tl/hiNQlidY

Gloucestershire (continued)

Slimbridge. Tudor Arms. Real ale & good food pub with rooms. Close to WWT.  enquiries@thetudorarms.co.uk Tel: 01453 890 306. www.thetudorarms.co.uk

Hereford. Farmhouse B&B on banks of River Wye. 01432 870223 or www.sinkgreenfarm.co.uk for brochure

Isles of Scilly

Bird Migration, Flowers & Butterflies

Timber framed, 2023 constructed holiday cottage. Open plan living. 2 en-suite bedrooms, sleeps 4. Hot tub & private balcony. www.thefalconhouse.co.uk info@thefalconhouse.co.uk 01989 740223

Nr Dungeness/Rye  B&B, All Ensuite, RSPB 3 night or more 10% discount. 01797 362381. www.broadacrehotel.co.uk

DUNGENESS: comfortable cottage ideal for RSPB. 2 en suite double bedrooms. Openplan kitchen/dining, large lounge, wood fire, Wi-Fi. Sightings of rare birds. RSPB site next door. www.wiwurri-dungeness.co.uk or annpatriciamcferran@gmail.com

Holiday cottages  Between Boston & Skegness. Ideal for RSPB Freiston Shore, Frampton Marsh & Gibraltar Point. For brochure: crewyardholidaycottages.co.uk 01205 871389

Rural cottage in quiet village of Bratoft, ideal for RSPB Gibraltar point, Frampton Marsh & Frieston Shore. Near Gunby Estate NT. Contact 07731 865275 or Ashcottage7@gmail.com

Thornham. Bungalow slps 6, dogs welcome. Sea/ marsh views, enclosed garden, ample parking. suehaines1@btinternet.com Tel: 01449 781145

Wells-next-the-Sea. ‘The Snug’, a cosy hideaway for 2. Also 1 double room B&B 01328 710594. www.thesnuginwells.co.uk

Snettisham. ‘Merchant House’. 4 bed house with garden & parking. Sleeps 2-6. Dog friendly. 1 mile from RSPB Snettisham and Ken Hill Wood. 01480 264266. www.holidayhomenorfolk.co.uk

NORTH COAST WEYBOURNE nr Cley, coast path 200m, 5 bedroom, 10 bed, Flint House, parking, pets, garden. Good pub and cafe across road. 07966 133463 txt/ring. All year offers

WEYBOURNE Two self-catering holiday lets (sleep 4/5 and 6/7) within private nature reserve. Beach 250 m. Bird list 251 species! Tel: 01263 588131 www.denmarkhousenorfolk.co.uk

SHERINGHAM: Comfortable, convenient, flint fishermen’s cottage, close to beach, shops and amenities. WiFi. Sleeps 2-5. 01223 834476. sue.hunting@ntlworld.com

Hunstanton.Sleeps 2/3, 2 bed annexe. En-suite bathroom. Walking distance beach, fields, town. Ideally situated for Titchwell 5.8 miles, Wild Ken Hill 4.8 miles. Small patio and parking. Joannabostrom@hotmail.co.uk 07432 563331 www.seahenge.co.uk

Brancaster Staithe. S/c cottage, slps 2-7, Titchwell 3 mls, coastal path 200m, 01223 690335. www.seaaster.co.uk

Cromer S/c house. Slps 4. Private garden. 5 min walk to coast. 2 bedr’m, 2 bathr’m. Great rates/reviews. 07724 290369. turnstonescromer@gmail.com

Salthouse, near Cley. Lovely cottage. Slps 6, garden, parking, log stoves, Wi-Fi. All-year availability. 01256 381333. www.chalkhillbluecottages.co.uk

Between Blakeney & Cley S/annexe slps 2. Also private suite for B&B. Garden area and parking. Birdsong. 01263 740 840

Cromer. Coach House Studio. Delightful. Sleeps 2. Private courtyard. Large reception. Ideal for exploring N Norfolk, both east & west. Dogs welcome. www.coachhouse.studio

Period cottage, N Norfolk, 1 mile coast. Sleeps 2+2. Quiet village, large garden, private parking, Wi-Fi. 07850 989531. www.churchcottagelangham.co.uk

Norfolk coast. Brancaster. Comfortable house slps 10. Reasonable. 07768 333373

Close to Wenlock Edge. 4 self-catering coach house; ideal for 2; walks from the door; tranquility and views. Phone 01584 841649 or www.ferndaleflat.co.uk

Chilton Polden. Lovely 3 bed S/C cottage; sleeps 6 with log burner, private garden and parking. Close to Ham Wall, Greylake, Shapwick & Westhay. www.rosarycottage.co.uk 01293 431175

Meare. Licensed 4 B&B close to the Moors & Wetland bird reserves. 01458 860449 www.mearemanor.co.uk

Westhay. Farmhouse B&B 4 silver, 1/2 mile Avalon marshes, Shapwick Heath etc. 01458 860238. www.newhousefarmbandb.co.uk

Quantocks AONB. One bed spacious rural cottage. Stunning views. Patio and parking. All mod cons. Sleeps 2. Near Fyne Court. Contact 07786 314980. upalong3@gmail.com

Shapwick Take advantage of our location, staying in one of our unique luxury cottages. Easy access to Avalon Marshes, RSPB’s Ham Wall & other reserves. 07513 438623. info@wheelwrightscottages.com

A Roost with a View Relax in our beautiful selfcontained Roost, 1 dbl & 1 sgl bed. 3-minute walk to Chew Valley Lake, amazing views in bird heaven. sucass@hotmail.co.uk 07800 775 583

Eco award winning s/c peak district Slp 2/3. Stream, woods, nature reserves. Teeming with wildlife. Birds paradise. 01538 703331. www.oldfurnace.co.uk

Luxury Bed and Breakfast accommodation between Norfolk Broads & Coast. Access to private farmland with Cranes and Marsh Harriers. 01692 598243 www.dairybarns.co.uk

Bamburgh / Holy Island. Spacious, comfortable  cottage sleeps 2-6. 01668 213336 or www.rosscottages.co.uk

Lindisfarne Reserve. Cosy farm cottages 4. 1/2m shore or mainland slps 5. The Lookout, s/c studio slps 2. 01668 213533. www.fenham-le-moor.co.uk

B&B in Westleton, close to RSPB Minsmere Barn Cottage is in a quiet position in this pretty village, the 3 bedroom well equipped cottage is also available for self catering holidays during most months of the year. Sue Brett, 01728 648700 or 07970 968342 or www.westletonbandb.co.uk

Close to Minsmere. Superior 4 Gold Award barn conversions. Both sleep 2. Perfect location for exploring Suffolk Heritage Coast and Heathlands. Weekly/short breaks. 01728 668459. holidaysatprioryfarm.co.uk

Cumbria

Shropshire

Suffolk (continued)

Snape. Rose Tree Cottage. Short walk to Snape Maltings; Minsmere 7m; 2 bedroom, sleeps 4, excellent facilities, private garden. www.snape-cottage.com 07957 212118

SIBTON WHITE HORSE INN 01728 660337

Rural, peaceful setting 15 minutes from Minsmere. Relaxed, informal, friendly (with no younger children). 5 well appointed rooms with gold comforts. The Good Pub Guide Suffolk Dining Pub of 2019. 2 AA Rosettes. Family owned and managed for 15 years. www.sibtonwhitehorseinn.co.uk

Poplar Hall Nr. Minsmere & Southwold. Delightful self catering cottages in 1.5 acre gardens of 16th cent. house. “Attracts birds and wildlife every day!” Tel: 01502 578549 poplarhallsouthwold.com 10% spring discount

Unique birdwatching cottage near Southwold ☎ 01767 261407

www.southwoldbirdwatchingcottage.co.uk

Minsmere 1 mile,Mulleys Cottage. Two B&B rooms ensuite/one self catering. Quiet village spot. Beautiful country cottage. Two pubs close by. Walking distance to Minsmere. Beginners and Advanced guided bird walks available. Tree Identification guided walks. Moth trapping groups. www.mulleyscottage.co.uk Tel: 01728 649036

A short walk to Minsmere or enjoy wildlife from garden. Peaceful cosy cottages in Westleton & Eastbridge. Slp 4; log fires, lge gdns, dogs welcome. 07941 530559. www.suffolkcottages.info

South of Chichester Spacious detached rural selfcatering cottage with footpaths to Medmerry RSPB Reserve. 2 double bedrooms, 1 ensuite, separate wet room. 01243 641661. www.honeysucklelodge.co.uk

The Woodlands Sandsend 10% off for RSPB members staying 2 midweek nights or more December to April.

Use code BIRDS-10 direct bookings only through our website. www.thewoodlandssandsend.co.uk 01947 893899 hello@thewoodlandssandsend.co.uk

Sandsend Nr Whitby North Yorkshire Coast

THE BARN, SYCAMORE FARM nr York

Cosy 2 bed converted barn. Sleeps 4. Open plan kitchen/lounge. WiFi. Close to Derwent Ings and easy access to Flamborough. 07939 979816

SCOTLAND

The Grant Arms Hotel

Cottage overlooking Loch Ruthven

The Grain Store is a luxury holiday cottage, fully renovated in 2021, set in an elevated position overlooking RSPB Loch Ruthven. Famous for the Slavonian grebe, the reserve is home to many other amazing wildlife including red kite, buzzard, osprey and red deer. To book visit Cottages.com ref: UK 32354

Dave Slater, Professional Birding guide in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. Tours and trips to suit all pockets, from day trips to all-inclusive holidays. Comfortable tour vehicle for up to four people. See birdingecosse.co.uk for details or call 07955336955

Isle of Mull Luxury 4 S/C just for adults. Abundance of birds & wildlife.

01688 317713 www.hideawaylodges.co.uk

Secluded cottage nr Breckon Beach. N.Yell slps 2+2. Run by a Shetland Nature tour guide & ex RSPB Warden. www.westerbrake.com

170 holiday properties in N. Wales, Snowdonia & Porthmadog. Snowdonia Tourist Services. www.sts-holidays.co.uk 01766 513829

(Powys)

Dyfi Valley nr RSPB Ynys-Hir (Springwatch) & Dyfi Osprey project. S/c cottage, sleeps 5. Tel: 01654 702952. www.glangwyneddcottage.co.uk

Situated close to Lake Vrynwy (RSPB) Owl Barn Retreat 4 WTB. Cnvtd eco-friendly barn. Sleeps 4. Stunning location, birdwatching, walking, cycling, dog friendly. 01691 780491. owlbarnretreat.com

BIRD COTTAGE, sleeps 4. Fantastic birdlife, views & walking. Peace & quiet. Close to Kite centre & Elan Valley. Tel John 01483 200079. www.birdcottagewales.co.uk

Ystrad Meurig, Mid Wales Spacious, modern bungalow, sleeps 2, adjacent Cors Caron nature reserve. Excellent birding, walking, touring. WTB  No smokers/ pets. Brochure 01974 831471. www.maesgylfinir.co.uk

Finsbay Cottages

Beautiful self-catering timber lodges on the Isle of Harris overlooking Loch Finsbay. Ideal for holidays, fishing and birdwatching www.finsbaycottages.co.uk

Yorkshire Worcestershire

Malvern Hills – cosy log cabin on outskirts of lovely village. 2 dble beds, all mod cons, dogs welcome. Private let. Please call Scott on 07768 340 645. www.simplyowners.net use property ID P27668

Yorkshire Dales

Superb holiday cottages in Swaledale in stunning scenery 01748 886366 www.catholecottages.com judith@catholecottages.com

Yorkshire Wolds & coast, RSPB Bempton Stylish 4&5character cottages. Sleeps 2&4. Dog friendly. Short breaks. 01377 255639 www.churchfarmgarton.co.uk

A holiday in the midst of nature. Stunning cottage in a wild Yorkshire Dales location surrounded by mountain views.

Book at www.kingsdalehead.com/stay

Quiet cottage in Cairngorms near Loch Garten Sleeps 4. High up. Mountain views. Bird/wildlife. £290-£620. Tel Peter on 07747 417121. www.upperfinlarigcottages.co.uk

Isle of Mull. Central east coast, peaceful location, Whigmaleeries s/c for 2 plus B&B. www.garmonymull.co.uk Tel 01680 812316

Near Jedburgh. Modern guesthouse in peaceful setting beside Jed Water. Wide variety of birds on doorstep. Pets welcome by arrangement. Own riding stables. AA 01835 863279. www.ferniehirstmill.co.uk

Luce Bay. 2 comf trad seaside cottages. Sleep 4/5 STB  Dogs welcome. Mrs McMillan 01581 500233. www.lucebayholidaycottages.co.uk

Tree sparrows galore! Peaceful s/c cottages, wonderful views. Dumfries 5 miles. www.mcmurdoston.co.uk 01387 740200

Nethybridge. High standard s/c cottage. Open all year, red squirrels and crests in the garden. Tel: 01479 821803 or email salmonpools@googlemail.com

North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory Comfortable guest house & dormitory accommodation. 01857 633200

Cottage for two with own nature reserve in quiet valley next to RSPB reserve, Elan Valley. A very special place for wildlife and birdwatchers. 01597 811169. www.wildlifecottagewales.co.uk

LUXURY COTTAGES Sleep 2–4 bordering Cors Caron NNR. Over 140 recorded bird species. www.cruglasfarmcottages.co.uk

ANGLESEY RHOSCOLYN. Luxurious coastal bungalow. Amazing location. 13 acres. Sleeps 9 + cot. Pets welcome. 9 miles South Stack. 01477 533011. www.pointuk.com

Llyn Peninsula near Abersoch Close to Wales Coast path. Static caravan off beaten track. Peaceful location, birds, walking, golf. Beach 5 mins. Dogs welcome. 07811 186969. margery.griffin@gmail.com

Y Felinheli/Menai Straits. Close to Anglesey & Snowdonia. Modern cottage, garden, sleeps 2. WTB  07910 095991. trefeddyg.cymru

Abereiddy, Pembrokeshire. Beach, cliffs, coastpath 1/2 m. Traditional stone cottages on farm in peregrine territory, CH, one with log stove, 2 or 4 bedrooms, might suit 3-generation parties. Pets welcome. Brochure 01348 831482

ORCADIAN wildlife ORCADIAN

ROSEMOOR COUNTRY COTTAGES

PEMBROKESHIRE COAST NATIONAL PARK

All inclusive tailor-made wildlife holidays for small groups.

All inclusive tailor-made wildlife holidays for small groups. Self catering also available.

Contact Steve at Gerraquoy, Grimness, South Ronaldsay, Orkney KW17 2TH tel: 01856 831240

www.orcadianwildlife.co.uk

Cosy eco-friendly rural cottage, excellent bird watching. www.denecottage-orkney.co.uk

Ourwarm and comfortable red sandstone cottages provide a spacious home from home,including biomass fuelled central heating, in lovely countryside two miles from the sea at Little Haven, with Skomer nearby. On your doorstep you’ll find the Rosemoor Nature Reserve,withits 5 acre lake,home to otter,wildfowland kingfisher.Peregrine Falcons breed withinview ofourgardens. JohnM.and JacquiJanssen, Rosemoor, Walwyn’s Castle, Haverfordwest Tel:01437 781326

rosemoor@walwynscastle.com

www.rosemoor.com (withlots ofphotographs)

Argyll & Bute

Dumfries & Galloway Borders

Highland – Mainland

Highland – Mainland

Highland – Islands

Orkney

Grant Arms Hotel, The Square, Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3HF

Troedyrhiw Holiday Cottages

www.troedyrhiw.com 01239 811564

Cleddau Estuary. Isolated cott on shore, slps 4-8, with boat. brickyard-cottage.co or 01638 742344

France

Italy

Countryside between Rome & Naples. Spacious villa. Sleeps 6. Tranquil valley. Abundant wildlife. South-west of Abruzzo National Park. Tel Vincent 01875 615866 val-comino-villas.co.uk Quote BirdMag

The Living Mountain: Birdwatching in Cantabria Stay in the Saja-Besaya Natural Park. Tranquil setting. Ideal for walking & birdwatching. Forest, mountain and coastal birds – wide variety of raptors. Bilingual English host. Restaurant nearby. Sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms. Shared kitchen/diner & separate living room. Close to the Picos de Europa & beautiful beaches. Contact Pat: francis.pat1960@gmail.com

SOUTH AFRICA

Kruger National Park. S. Africa. S/C, 3-bed (air con) & 4-bath, stilted, wooden lodge, pool, sleeps 6. On Crocodile River (park boundary), stunning sunsets, views of big 5 from wrap-around decks. Visits by giraffe & hornbills & sighting around 290 bird species possible. Housekeeper on site, daily Kruger safaris easily arranged. £995/week. 07300 895741 www.crocsnest.com p

Gay Birders Club. LGBT group. 60+ events annually, UK & abroad. www.gbc-online.org.uk

MISCELLANEOUS

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES Friendly professional help & advice 01483 200079, 07811 341600 www.birdphotographycourses.co.uk

WILDLIFE HOLIDAYS

Stay with us! Eat with us!

A warm and welcoming stay awaits you at The Old King’s Head with individually designed rooms full of character and history.

Located in Kirton, just 4.7 miles (in car) 10 minute drive to RSPB Frampton Marsh, you can stay in one of our newly refurbished, stylish and comfortable four-star bedrooms in the heart of rural Lincolnshire for the perfect cosy getaway complete with a delicious breakfast. enquiries@theoldkingshead.com 15% discount for RSPB Members Monday-Thursday when booked directly with us (proof of membership required)

For free brochure and friendly impartial advice

WILDLIFE HOLIDAYS

• The internationally-acclaimed, award-winning Field Centre for the Highlands of Scotland

• All inclusive wildlife holidays with no single supplement

• Brilliant bird watching

• Comfortable accommodation and exceptional food

• Pine marten, red squirrel, beaver and wildcat hides, nature trails and a loch

FIELD CENTRE

Takeouts

Three things to take away from this issue – and do

1 Big Garden Birdwatch

Take part in the world’s largest wildlife survey. Now in its 45th year, this valuable piece of citizen science gives us an insight into how our much-loved garden birds are faring. On the weekend of 26–28th January 2024, find a comfy spot in your garden, local park, or your balcony and spend an hour recording the birds you see. Over half a million people joined the count last year; get your friends, family and local community involved and let’s try to beat that number! www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

3 Nature Can’t Wait

The 2023 State of Nature report highlighted the staggering decline of wildlife throughout the UK. With 1,500 species across England, Scotland and Wales now threatened with extinction, and 281 species facing the same fate in Northern Ireland, we must act now before it’s too late. Fortunately, we know how to protect and restore nature. Now, we must work together to persuade politicians to take the necessary actions and make a change for our wild world. Contact your local elected representative and let them know that Nature Can’t Wait. We have advice on how to speak to your local politician. Head to bit.ly/action-for-nature to speak up for nature.

2 Visit an RSPB nature reserve

Wrap up warm and head out to one of our nature reserves to take in what nature has to offer this season – you get free access as part of your membership. Turn to page 71 for Jamie Wyver’s guide for species and sights to look out for during winter. And if you fancy blowing the cobwebs away, take a trip to the coast and explore the special wildlife there. Read Mike Unwin’s feature on page 26 about how we’re helping our precious seabirds and restoring vital marine habitats.

Photos: Ben Andrew, Nigel Blake (both rspb-images.com); Julian Hodgson (Alamy Stock Photo)

Take part

LEICA BINOCULARS

LEICA NOCTIVID 8 x 42

LEICA TRINOVID 8 x 42 HDLEICA ULTRAVID 10 x 32 HD-PLUS

THE JACKET FOR UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER

Nikwax® Analogy® Waterproof Fabric mimics the action of mammal fur to protect you from sweat, condensation and rain whilst also protecting your insulation.

The fabric has a two-layer construction that stops you feeling clammy and cold in your Halkon® Jacket by moving moisture and trapping still air to keep you warm, dry and comfortable:

• Pump Liner® pushes moisture outwards by transferring liquid water from one side of the fabric to the other to protect you from sweat and condensation

• A closely woven, Windproof by Nikwax microfibre outer is also hydrophobic for durable water repellency.

The Halkon is especially suitable for photographers, wildlife and naturewatchers who carry equipment.

Crafted with