RSPBPagham-Wags&other celebrities

Wags & other celebrities

By Rob Yarham, RSPB Pagham & Medmerry

Credit: Ben Andrew

With the Autumn fast approaching, it’s customary to expect to experience the onset of “mists”, “mellow fruitfulness” and, I’m sure, many other seasonal clichés. At the same time, we say goodbye for another year to many of our summer visitors, which have been heading South in increasing numbers through August and into September. It might seem sad to see the songbirds that have serenaded us since the spring leave, and there’s always a poignancy to watching chattering sand martins, house martins and swallows pass overhead and fly out to sea. But September brings fresh spectacles for us to enjoy at RSPB Pagham Harbour & Medmerry reserves, too, as many other birds drop in on migration, making the most of the food and shelter offered by these special places and the neighbouring fields – August has already seen several unusual species of wader and a rare squacco heron visit us! Perhaps one of the most charismatic birds you might encounter this time of year, though, is the magnificent and crowd-pleasing osprey. We’re often lucky enough to see these large, fish-eating birds of prey – with their 1.5-metre wingspan – as they hover over the water in the harbour or near the shore, before plunging feet-first to catch a meal with a terrific splash. Persecution and eggcollecting drove these birds to extinction in the UK in the 1800s, but they returned to Scotland in 1954 and have made a steady comeback ever since, and they’re now breeding across Wales and northern England as well. Their numbers have been boosted in England and Wales by the successful reintroduction schemes at Rutland Water (from 1996), and, most recently, in Poole Harbour in Dorset (from 2017) – where two osprey chicks fledged for the very first time this summer. So, hopefully, the osprey is likely to become a more common sight for us here in Sussex as well! The visiting birds may stick around for several days, returning regularly to their favourite spots to fish, before they, too, head off to their wintering grounds, sometimes in southern Europe, but more usually in the Gambia or Senegal, in sub-Saharan West Africa. As well as the ospreys, there’s another spectacle I especially look forward to each autumn –the arrival of flocks of yellow wagtails, or ‘wags’ as they’re affectionately known. Yellow wagtails are beautiful little birds – mostly yellow and green, with long, flicking tails – and they visit nearby fields to feed up on insects. These birds are also summer visitors, and nest on the ground in open, wet grassland, meadows and arable farmland in lowland areas, mainly in central, eastern and some parts of northern England. But their numbers have declined dramatically in the last 60 years – the breeding population fell by an estimated 75 per cent between 1970 and 2009 – and so seeing them is becoming more and more difficult. Until they migrate, that is, and we get the chance to see them in all their golden glory on our own doorstep, sometimes in large flocks! It’s thought that declines, particularly in southern England, have been brought about by intensive agriculture and the drying up of some of their favourite habitats. The RSPB has been helping the conservation of yellow wagtails by researching the reasons for their decline in detail and providing advice to farmers on what agricultural practices can best increase the birds’ breeding success in their lowland farmland habitats. Hopefully, this means that yellow wagtails will also become easier for us to see in the future. But, until then, watch the feet of cattle in the fields this month. You might just catch sight of these wonderful birds in shimmering flocks, dancing, rising and falling, searching for flies and other insects, or flitting over your heads as they, too, fly towards the sea to begin their long journeys South. Join us on one or our guided walks this autumn to witness the wonders of migration. Find out more by visiting our website or call 01243 641508. And support the RSPB’s conservation work by joining or donating at: www.rspb.org.uk/join-and-donate/join-us/ www.rspb.org.uk/paghamharbour