A Sting in the Tail? Torbay is renowned for its wintering birds, attracting birdwatchers from far and wide. However, tiny warblers may also be seen here, benefiting from our (mostly) mild weather. Mike Langman explains how these smaller birds survive and the risks they run wintering in the Bay.
W
inter is nearly over‌ According to the meteorological definition, spring starts on the 1st March. Now that seems very early, perhaps the astronomical season is better - spring starts on 22nd March, the spring equinox, when we have an equal amount of day time and night time. In reality, here in the South West, that will be on the 17th March. However even this will seem to vary depending on the weather that day - confusing isn’t it? Just imagine how it must appear to the wildlife around us. Here in Torbay we have birds that regularly migrate from more northern climates to spend the winter with us, like the Redwing, Fieldfare, Teal and Snipe. Tor Bay with its sheltered, east-facing aspect is an important wintering area for lesser-known wintering sea birds such as three species of Diver: Great Northern, Red-throated and Black-throated plus four species of Grebe: Great Crested, Red-necked, Black-necked and Slavonian. There are also seaduck, Common and Velvet Scoter, Eider and occasional Long-tailed Duck. With such a great variety
of birdlife Tor Bay attracts birdwatchers from not only Devon but from all over the UK, many staying several days to walk, watch and perhaps book onto increasingly popular wildlife-watching boat trips. There is another group of much smaller birds for which Torbay, with its mild winter climate and coastal habitats, is very important - warblers. These tiny birds are mostly insectivorous; if the insects hide away or are killed off in prolonged frosts or snow, the birds will either die with them or have to move on further south and west. Strictly speaking, birds like the Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Firecrest should be wintering in countries further south, even as far as Africa. During the autumn some Chiffchaffs, instead of immediately taking on a long arduous and dangerous migration, stage their movement, stopping for a few days or weeks, then moving on when they are fattened up or when food supplies run low. A few find that our small relatively frost-free coastal marshes at Broadsands, Goodrington and Clennon Valley can offer them such a healthy population of invertebrates that the birds decide to stay.
Great Northern Diver
22 | February/March 2021
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