Spring is in the air!
19 March 2010
Birds on the move get set to flock to Natural England Reserves.
Spring is the time when the natural world is on the move. Millions of migrating birds provide one of the most exhilarating signs of lighter days ahead as new species start arriving for the summer and winter residents return to their traditional breeding grounds. Natural England’s National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are a great place to see some of this astonishing seasonal movement in action.
On NNRs up and down the country, spring sees the return of migratory waders, such as golden plover and curlew; while whinchat and ring ouzel start to appear on our upland heaths and moors. From late-March to mid-May, swallows pass through in their thousands; yellow wagtails and whitethroats return from their African wintering grounds to breed on England’s lowland farmland; and redwings and fieldfares return to Scandinavia to breed.
There are 224 National Nature Reserves in England and they offer ideal opportunities for observing birds and wildlife. Nearly all have hides, trails and viewing areas and spring is an especially good time to visit, with birds arriving daily for the summer and winter visitors preparing to depart.
“The arrival of our migrant breeding birds is a treat for wildlife watchers,” said Poul Christensen, Chair of Natural England, “and National Nature Reserves provide some of the best safe havens for both these long-distance travellers and for our resident species. It reminds us what an important resource these reserves are and how important they are to the future of our wildlife.”
With spring - nearly - around the corner, here’s Natural England’s guide to the best bird migration hotspots on National Nature Reserves:
North-East England
Castle Eden Dene National Nature Reserve, County Durham
Chiffchaff, willow warbler and blackcap arrive with grasshopper warbler in the coastal scrub.
Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, Northumberland
Early sand martins, some of which stay to breed, are followed by wheatears and whinchats, chiffchaff and willow warbler. Thrushes and pipits move through the site and breeding birds such as lapwing and skylark patrol their territories in the dunes. Along the coastline eider duck, rock pipit, arctic and little terns are starting to nest.
Moorhouse-Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve, County Durham
In early March golden plover, lapwing and oystercatchers return to their nesting areas. Curlew arrive a week or so later followed by redshank and snipe. Common sandpiper and a few pairs of dunlin and ringed plover follow from mid to late April. Black grouse can sometimes be seen in the hay meadows north of the B6227 at Langdon Common and red grouse are active on the moorland. The pasture just west of Widdybank Farm is a good place to see ring ouzels.
Yorkshire and the Humber
The Lower Derwent Valley National Nature Reserve, East Riding of Yorkshire
Lapwing and curlew call from the meadows and the song of skylarks can be heard overhead. Early morning or dusk heralds the sound of ‘drumming’ snipe and small numbers of mallard, teal, shoveler and gadwall can often be seen in aerial combat, squabbling over territorial disputes.
Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve, South Yorkshire
Spring sees the arrival of large numbers of warblers, including willow, sedge, grasshopper, reed and garden warbler with blackcap, lesser and common whitethroat all adding to the morning chatter of bird song on Thorne Moor. Nightingales provide a special richness to the evenings. On the open water areas black-necked grebes become a familiar sight.
North-West England
Finglandrigg Woods National Nature Reserve, Cumbria
Departing redwings and fieldfares fly overhead and the first chiffchaff arrives. The nuthatch is a recent colonist here and can usually be heard calling whilst warblers such as blackcap, garden warbler and willow warbler arrive. On early mornings and evenings the skulking grasshopper warbler can be heard ‘reeling’ from patches of rush pasture and scrub.
North Walney National Nature Reserve, Cumbria
Flocks of waders gather at the high tide roosts before beginning their spring migration northwards. Off the coast migrating sea ducks such as common scoter and eider can be seen, whilst resident waterfowl start to nest on the pools – look out for mute swans, dabchicks, teal and tufted ducks. The reed fringes are full of reed buntings, and by late April are joined by sedge warblers. On sunny days wheatears move up the coast towards their breeding grounds in the Cumbria Fells, whilst rarer passage migrants can include hoopoe and dotterel. On the dune heath there are stonechats and meadow pipits and the air is full of the trilling songs of skylarks.
The Ribble Estuary National Nature Reserve, Merseyside
Most wildfowl have departed for their breeding grounds by spring, geese remain into May. Passage waders stop off here to ‘refuel’ before continuing their long flights northwards. High tides push the birds close inshore where they can be seen in breeding plumage. The calls and displays of breeding lapwing and redshank can be heard and seen on the saltmarsh.
West Midlands
The Stiperstones National Nature Reserve, Shropshire
Display calls of the resident red grouse climax in early spring in areas of heather. Wheatears are the first migrants to arrive and can be seen on the rocky habitats of the ridge as well as ring ouzels which land in fields on the hill edge. By the end of April, redstarts and tree pipits sing from trees at the heathland edge. Stonechats are present all winter and are joined by a few pairs of whinchat whilst reed buntings sing from the wetter spots.
Aqualate Mere National Nature Reserve, Staffordshire
Flocks of redwing and fieldfares head north in spring and are followed by returning sand and house martins, swallows and swifts. Shelduck return to join resident mallard and tufted duck. By late April reed, sedge and willow warblers can be seen and heard from the hide and osprey are regularly seen on their northward spring passage. Curlew, lapwing, snipe and redshank all breed on the pastures to the west, north and east of the Mere. Depending on weather conditions and insect abundance, in summer there can be thousands of swifts, swallows and martins hunting over the Mere.
East Midlands
Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve, Derbyshire
There are six pairs of dippers spread along three miles of the River Lathkill and they are usually easy to see. Redstart and wheatear can appear later when spring is in full bloom across the White Peak dales.
Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes National Nature Reserve, Lincolnshire
Jack snipe curlew, bar-tailed godwit, hen harrier, merlin, peregrine, brent goose and shelduck are winter visitors and in spring are replaced by migrants such as wheatear, cuckoo, swallow, whitethroat, turtle dove, linnet, willow warbler and chiffchaff.
The Wash National Nature Reserve, Lincolnshire
Brent geese depart in early spring but there are still some large flocks of wildfowl around including shelduck and teal, and waders such as dunlin, greenshank, lapwing, grey plover and oystercatcher. Skylark and meadow pipit return to breed and can be heard singing over the saltmarsh.
South-West
East Dartmoor Woods and Heaths National Nature Reserve, Devon
From April, the woodland is full of the song of blackcap, chiffchaff and willow warbler whilst grey wagtails and ravens are already nesting. By mid-April there are also pied flycatchers, redstarts, wood warblers and in May, cuckoos displaying and calling on the moorland. Trendlebere Down is alive with the song of skylarks and meadow pipits as well as Dartford warblers and whitethroats. Nightjars are the last of the migrant species to return and can be seen and heard at dusk from mid-May onwards.
Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve, Somerset
In spring, drake gadwall, shoveler, teal, tufted duck and pochard can be seen in small groups in pursuit of females. The song of the Cetti’s warblers explodes from the many reed beds and the secretive water rail, with its pig-like grunting and squealing, is heard but seldom seen. In late April the flooded scrape attracts passage waders such as godwit, ruff, little stint and at least three species of sandpiper. Herons and egrets love the shallow water, and up to six different species have been recorded here. Swifts arrive in early May and up to 50 hobbies can be seen catching insects on the wing over the Shapwick reed beds. By the middle of May most will have dispersed, leaving only a few pairs to breed in the surrounding woodlands.
South-East England
Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve, Oxfordshire
In early March, the woods are full of the song of chiffchaffs. By mid-April, the areas of scrub have other warblers such as blackcap, whitethroat and lesser whitethroat. In early May there are migrating ring ouzels and some of them stop for about a week before continuing northwards. The fantastic red kite is a year-round treat.
Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve National Nature Reserve, Kent
The first summer migrants appear in the early March, with chiffchaffs, blackcap and garganey. Sand martin, the first sedge warblers and yellow wagtails arrive during the last week. Visitors in early April usually include nightingale, willow warbler, reed warbler, whitethroat and little ringed plover. By mid-April large numbers of migrants start to show-up, with swifts, hobby, swallow, house martin, common tern and turtle dove; then garden warbler and lesser whitethroat arriving at the end of the month.
Large movements of swifts occur in early May and hobby numbers increase during the month with 30 to 40 often seen together. Ospreys and black terns are regularly recorded during the first half of May, as well as a mix of waders. In late April/early May resident species are well into their breeding with bearded tits feeding young. Other resident breeding species include Cetti’s warbler, marsh harrier, grey lag goose, cormorant and water rail.
East of England
Holkham National Nature Reserve, Norfolk
By April most pink-footed geese have departed but up to a thousand will linger into May along with remnant flocks of other wintering wildfowl. The grazing marshes are alive with the calls of lapwing and redshank, while shoveler, gadwall and other wildfowl also stake out their breeding territories. Marsh harriers are prominent and may be seen ‘sky dancing’ over the reedbeds and marshes. Passage waders move through the reserve from late March until early June and may include rarities. The woodland is a great place to be in the spring, with resident warblers and occasional passage and scarce migrants like golden oriole and wryneck. By late April, common, and little terns may be seen on the beaches where oystercatchers and ringed plovers are already nesting.
-ends-
Notes to Editors:
About Natural England
Natural England is the government’s independent advisor on the natural environment. Established in 2006 our work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.
We establish and care for England’s main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are looked after and improved.
We work to ensure that England’s landscapes are effectively protected, designating England’s National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Marine Conservation Zones, and advising widely on their conservation.
We run England’s Environmental Stewardship green farming schemes that deliver over £400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland.
We fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of England’s species and habitats.
We promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.
About National Nature Reserves
National Nature Reserves (NNRs) were initially established to protect sensitive features and to provide ‘outdoor laboratories’ for research. Their purpose has widened since those early days. As well as managing some of our most pristine habitats, our rarest species and our most significant geology, most NNRs now offer great opportunities to the public as well as schools and specialist audiences to experience England’s natural heritage.
Natural England is the body empowered to declare NNRs in England, the Reserves being a selection of the very best parts of England’s Sites of Special Scientific Interest. It is this underlying designation which gives NNRs their strong legal protection. The majority also have European nature conservation designations.
There are now 224 NNRs in England (and one Marine Nature Reserve, Lundy) with a total area of over 92,000 hectares, which is approximately 0.6% of the country’s land surface. The largest is The Wash NNR, covering almost 8,800 hectares, whilst Horn Park Quarry in Dorset, at 0.32 hectares, is the smallest.
For more information on NNRs please the NNR section of the Natural England website.
For further information contact: The National Press Office on 0845 603 9953, press@naturalengland.org.uk out of hours 07970 098005.
