Forest of Marston Vale – Winter Birds

Winter birds

If you’re searching for some colour to brighten up the muted greys and blues of the winter landscape, then look no further than the natural world. As the temperature drops, the resident wildfowl population is swelled by an infl ux of colourful and lively winter visitors to many places across Bedfordshire, including our Wetlands Nature Reserve at Millennium Country Park.

Flocks arrive from cooler climes – such as the Baltics, Siberia and Northern Europe – in search of more habitable conditions and plentiful food sources. Some stay for the whole of winter while others use our coasts, lakes and reservoirs as a ‘service station’ – grabbing some rest and food before travelling onwards.

Despite their long journeys, these birds usually look at their best at this time of year, with fresh, bright plumage, primed for fi nding a mate ahead of the breeding season. If you have a pair of binoculars don’t forget to bring them along so you can get a really close look at the colours, markings and behaviour of our winter bird population.

Start by looking out for fl ocks of teal, a small but perfectly formed duck. The males are particularly striking, and can be identifi ed by their rich, chestnut heads and green eye patches. Females are plainer, looking similar to female mallards aside from having a bright green patch on the wing.

Ducks can be divided into two groups – dabbling and diving ducks – which relate to how they fi nd food. Dabbling ducks, which include teal, glide along the surface of the water, dipping their bills just underneath to get food. Sometimes they will plunge their

heads in the water to reach further – ‘bottomsup’ style – but they won’t dive under the surface for food. Diving ducks on the other hand, such as the tufted duck and pochard, fully submerge themselves, propelling themselves underwater to find molluscs, insects and aquatic plants.

Tufted ducks can be seen all year round at the reserve, but numbers tend to increase in winter with birds arriving from northern Europe. The males of the species can be spotted easily by their smart ‘tuxedo-like’ appearance. They are black on the head, neck, breast and back and bright white on the sides. They also sport an impressive tuft of feathers at the back of their head and have a vivid yellow eye. Females are chocolatey-brown all over.

These social, gregarious birds are often seen in large flocks together. They are excellent divers, and can swim up to around 15 metres under the water in search of molluscs, crustaceans, crayfish, aquatic insects and plants.

Another distinctive duck to look out for is the shoveller. Although it can look a little like a mallard from a distance, on closer inspection its large, shovel-like bill makes it easily distinguishable from other ducks.

The shoveller is often seen with its long, flat bill sweeping just under the surface of the water, searching out food. A medium size duck, the male has a glossy, dark green head, white breast and chestnut brown flanks. Females are mottled brown, resembling a female mallard, but can be identified by their characteristic bill.

In late winter if you’re lucky you may spot shovellers performing their unique courtship display, which involves submerging their heads in the water and circling around each other. You may also see males searching for a mate trying to outperform each other. Competition for females is fierce and you may witness headbobbing displays to demonstrate strength and noisy chases, both on the water and in the air. On the edges of the lake, and in the shallows and water-filled ditches on the reserve, look out for majestic grey herons. They’re usually seen alone, barely making a ripple as they stalk through the water looking for their next meal. You’ll often see them standing as still as a statue at the water’s edge, surveying for fish, newts, frogs and even other waterbirds. When suitable prey is spotted, their long neck is swiftly extended and their unsuspecting target seized.

Another member of the heron family, the graceful Little Egret, is also a regular visitor to the reserve. Smaller than a grey heron, these birds are snow-white with black bills and legs and yellow feet. Until relatively recently, Little Egrets were an uncommon sight, but changes in climate are thought to have tempted them to UK shores from the Mediterranean.

During breeding season, adults develop long, wispy head plumes. In the 19th century, numbers of Little Egrets plummeted as they were hunted extensively for these plumes, which were used to decorate hats. Thankfully, laws were introduced to protect them and populations have now recovered.

So as you can see, winter is most definitely not a barren time for wildlife watching! Wrap up warm and head down to the Wetlands Nature Reserve or your local wetlands, and we’re sure you’ll be rewarded with sightings of our wonderful winter water birds. Don’t forget to share with us what you’ve seen too on our social media pages – we’d love to hear from you!