Nature

Autumn at Fowlmere RSPB Nature Reserve

At the Fowlmere RSPB nature reserve the low water levels have continued to be a problem and the mere has remained dry for much of the summer months. However, there has been plenty of interesting wildlife to be seen by just casually strolling around the site. In this article, local birder Ade Cooper sets out his diary for the late summer/early autumn months of August, September and October. In the first week of August, two Nuthatch were seen around the loop up at the centenary end. Also around the loop were one Coal Tit and a Spotted Flycatcher family with two adults feeding two juveniles. It was a delight to see the Turtle Dove when it came down to the mere mud to feed for five minutes. As it turned out, this was the last time that any Turtle Dove was recorded on the reserve this season. Sadly, no juveniles were seen and the future of the species at Fowlmere, indeed Britain, remains on the edge.

The week was warm and sunny and butterflies were in abundance! Fourteen species were recorded, including Painted Lady and Small Copper. A Silver-Washed Fritillary was also spotted – a terrific moment as they are a scarcity for the reserve. Four Roesel’s Bush Cricket were also seen.

Mid-August was quiet. The long-staying Nuthatch was still around the Watercress hut area, and even seen feeding on the track. At least two Spotted Flycatcher remain, the juveniles now fully independent. Male and female Marsh Harrier were spotted flying about late on the 11th.

Some excellent management work has enabled some water to flow into the mere and this brought in Teals, Little Grebes, Mallards, and Pied Wagtails. Common species, but water makes all the difference!

Roesel’s Bush Cricket Silver-Washed Fritillary

At this time in August birds were already leaving for the south; some Warblers will be off, small flocks of House Martin and Swallow passing through, most Swift had gone with only six left at this time. Lesser Black-Backed Gull have become a daily feature as they move south, groups also gathering in the fields surrounding the reserve that had been cut. The mere at least looked perfect, just in time for some wader passing through.

By the third week, a Tree Pipit was spotted in the cattle paddock. The bird was showing well, perched up on the top of bushes with a family group of Yellowhammer, and it flew off high to the south. This is the 4th consecutive year Tree Pipit has been recorded at Fowlmere, but only the 7th time ever’.

A Pipit seen in August is worth a good look – it will probably be a Tree Pipit.

Another excellent record was eight Whimbrel flying directly over the reedbed hide, a lovely sight to see them leisurely heading south. Other notables over this weekend included Hobby, Little Egret, Yellow-Legged Gull, Kingfisher, male Marsh Harrier, two Sand Martin and several Yellow Wagtail on the move.

The Guilden brook hedge started to get lively on the 23rd with a nice gathering of Warblers flycatching from the hedge top. Six Blackcap, two Whitethroat, two Willow

Tree Pipit Warbler, Chiffchaff and a Redstart. Brilliant! The bird showed nicely for a moment but was very active feeding and disappeared into cover. With no spring records, this is the first record for the reserve this year. 1600+ Lesser Black-Backed Gull flew over at dusk on their way to roost. The mere water levels were going down again, although sixty-five Mallard and one Teal were still present.

The 24th–25th was a brilliant weekend at Fowlmere! Fine and very hot conditions, but importantly a slight easterly breeze got birds on the move. The bushes seemed filled with migrant Warblers. There were good numbers of Blackcap with several Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, and Willow Warbler along with Chiffchaff which suddenly appeared in groups feeding together. Such flocks are worth an extra search, as proved when a visitor found a Pied Flycatcher by the Reception. Missed it that day, but fortunately the bird was still present the next day in the same area. This is only the 9th record of Pied Flycatcher on the reserve.

The Redstart was still on the Guilden brook, a Greenshank flew over, calling. The two Nuthatch are still around the centenary end and Marsh Harrier still hanging around the reedbed. The mere was once again looking desperately low, but two Green Sandpiper still came in. Also noteworthy was a Willow Emerald Damselfly from spring hide.

Very hot days continued. A search around the reserve in late August produced more migrant Warblers. Lesser and Common Whitethroat with many Blackcap, and in the Guilden brook hedgerow the first Sedge Warbler seen for a couple of weeks. A Peregrine flew over north. Amazingly, three more Pied Flycatcher were found around the reserve, that made it four in as many days.

Hobby and two Little Egret were the highlights on a very quiet start to September. A couple of Yellow Wagtail and a Raven were seen, this was only the second record for the year. Juvenile Marsh Harrier appeared briefly over the reedbed before flying off. A Cormorant was also seen flying over the site heading south. Reserve residents such as Cettis Warbler, Barn Owl, Kingfisher and Water Rail were still on the reserve. Two Spotted Flycatcher feeding in the cattle paddock were about the only ‘new-in’ birds. Water Vole still showing up in the Shep.

The slow pace for birds was temporarily halted with a whiff of easterly airflow over night during mid-August. It wasn’t much but it had brought in three Redstart to the Guilden brook. Fantastic! Two of the birds were typically elusive, but an adult male in the trio showed superbly, feeding out in the open on the track and perching up in the hedgerow and fence in full view. All three went overnight and there was no sign of any on the following day. Forty+ Meadow Pipit flew over as

Little Egret Juvenile Marsh Harrier

Water Vole feeding on the Shep

did an adult Hobby, two Red Kite drifted around, as did several Buzzard, all enjoying some warm sunshine. Some Warblers were still on site with Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler and Chiffchaff, the latter three in song.

Towards the end of September, a Great-White Egret flew in and landed close to the reedbed hide in the early afternoon. A brilliant record and only the 4th time Great-Whites have been seen at Fowlmere. It is the 120th species to be recorded at Fowlmere this year. The bird then took up brief residency at Shepreth and probably accounts for the one seen flying directly overhead at Fordham Way in Melbourn, on the 21st October, a new species for the parish as far as I know!

As we entered October, wintering species such as Redwing and Fieldfare that had come in from Scandinavia started to arrive, along with Brambling, Siskin and Redpoll which were all noted passing through. Five Stonechat were found in the area. Two were in the reeds by the mere and three by the solar farm out on the fields off the centenary wood. The count of five in one day was unusual as often there are only one or two seen in a whole autumn! Good numbers of Reed Bunting started to roost in the reedbeds with 370 counted in the 3rd week. A wonderful discovery was that Barn Owls had nested in the box by the mere. This was the first time that the box had been used for nesting since it was installed 3 years ago. A single

Fox cubs playing on the mere. Fallow Deer feeding on the dried out mere

chick, now fully feathered with only the smallest patch of down, could be seen resting on the box ledge and looking out at its big, new world.

This article is a synopsis of the months of August to October at Fowlmere Bird Reserve taken from the website produced by Ade Cooper and Caroline Scott. To see the full version and other interesting visits Ade and Caroline have undertaken in the UK and abroad, visit: www.cooperandscott.wordpress.com

Parish boundery

Melbourn

Fowlmere RSPB Nature Researve Fowlmere

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