Surfbirds News

In the wake of the surge, the RSPB has called for urgent Government action to create large areas of important habitat like reedbeds further inland to prepare for the day when the sea claims large areas of the English coast.

Freshwater reedbeds along the coasts and Broads of Norfolk and Suffolk are home to more than 70 per cent of the UK's breeding male bitterns. There were just 51 breeding males recorded this year, with 37 in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Bittern © Steve Round, breeding habitat suffers, from the surfbirds galleries

Several areas have flooded however, including reedbeds at the RSPB's reserve at Dingle Marshes in Suffolk and the neighbouring NNR at Walberswick, both considered prime bittern habitat.

For the first time, the sea has also managed to overtop the wall protecting the large Westwood Marshes reedbed on the site.

Saltwater is still pouring into the reedbeds at the Society's Strumpshaw Fen reserve, killing large numbers of fish in the second major flood in as many years. No bitterns are likely to breed there next spring, while other birds and otters are likely to be short of food.

It is estimated more than 1,000 hectares of freshwater reedbeds and grazing marsh will be lost to flooding and erosion along the coasts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex in the near future.

Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB's director of conservation, said: 'This has been a close run thing, but sea levels are rising and storms are only going to become more frequent as our climate warms.

'This whole coast is of huge value for wildlife, covered in sites of international importance and it is imperative the Government acts now to create the habitat plants and animals are going to need if they are to survive in a changing world.

'Starting from scratch, it can take 15 years to get somewhere up and running as a breeding site for bittern. It can be done but Government needs to get on and do it. They have been talking about this for years while the threat has grown. Every winter now, there is some flooding.'