Surfbirds News

Low points included the failure of several bittern nests due to flooding, decreases in sand martins at RSPB North Warren and on the Butley river, limited breeding success for avocets, a relatively poor year for Dartford warblers, and the continued decline in redstarts and spotted flycatchers.

An incredible 102 species were recorded nesting at Minsmere in 2008. Terns had a particularly successful year. One pair of arctic terns attempted to nest at Minsmere for the first time, and a pair of Sandwich terns was the first for several years. Both species nested among the common tern colony on the Scrape, which increased to 86 pairs.

Arctic Terns, Minsmere, June 2008 © Sean Nixon from the surfbirds galleries

On the nearby beach, 41 pairs of little terns reared at least 33 young. This was the most successful season for several years for the UK's second rarest breeding seabird. There were also 43 pairs of common terns at RSPB Havergate Island.

The Minsmere Scrape also attracted a record 758 pairs of black-headed gulls, although the recently arrived Mediterranean gulls declined to two pairs. At Havergate Island, 19 pairs of common gulls bred, and three pairs of great black-backed gulls constituted the largest Suffolk colony! Lesser black-backed and herring gulls at Havergate increased substantially, to 1,185 and 501 pairs respectively.

There was a slight increase in nesting avocets at Minsmere, to 130 pairs, but only four young fledged successfully following heavy spring rainfall. Only 28 pairs nested at Havergate Island, where numbers of oystercatchers fell to 41 pairs. A single black-tailed godwit held territory at Minsmere but failed to attract a mate.

The heavy spring rainfall had a detrimental effect on several reedbed species. Despite an increase to 11 booming male bitterns at Minsmere, there were only seven nesting attempts. Elsewhere, there were three males and two nests at North Warren and three nests at RSPB Dingle Marshes.

Marsh harriers fledged fewer young than in recent years, although there were 15 nests at Minsmere and three at North Warren. At Minsmere, there was a large fall in numbers of sedge warblers, but big increases in both Cetti's and reed warblers, and an increase in calling water rails.

On the grazing marshes, lapwings declined slightly at North Warren but increased at Minsmere, while redshanks remained stable at both sites. Lapwings increased by 60% to 18 pairs at Boyton Marshes, and both lapwing and redshank bred at Grove Marshes, Hollesley for the first time since the RSPB acquired the marshes. A singing quail and two singing spotted crakes were heard for a few nights in June at Minsmere, but nesting is unlikely to have occurred.

One of the most significant successes was an increase to three pairs of stone-curlews at Minsmere – the highest total since these rare nocturnal birds re-colonised the reserve in 2003. They fledged six young. Nightjar and woodlark populations at Minsmere and North Warren remained stable, but there was a small decline in the number of Dartford warblers nesting on the heaths. Yellowhammer numbers declined at Minsmere, following recent national trends.

One species bucking recent trends was the willow warbler, which increased significantly at Minsmere. Unusually, there were seven singing firecrests – one of the UK's smallest birds - at Minsmere and four at North Warren, though it is unknown whether they bred successfully.

Nightingale numbers remained stable, and redstarts are just about maintaining a toehold as a breeding species at Minsmere, but no spotted flycatchers nested this year at either Minsmere or North Warren, mirroring national population declines. There were large falls in turtle dove populations at all sites.

One of the most popular nesting species at Minsmere is the sand martin. After failing to breed for two years, an excellent 182 active burrows were counted outside the tearoom. However, the colony at North Warren declined following the partial collapse of their nesting cliff at Thorpeness, and there was a big decline on the Butley River.

Commenting on the record-breaking season, RSPB spokesman Ian Barthorpe said, 'As many visitors to Minsmere know, the wide variety of habitats always attracts a good selection of birds, and other wildlife. It is a perfect reward for the wardens' hard work that Minsmere attracted so many different nesting species this year. We are especially pleased with the success of Minsmere's little terns and stone-curlews. With better weather next spring, maybe we could break further records in 2009.

'The wet spring weather caused problems for some species, but despite that this was one of the best breeding seasons on record. Many scarce species have clearly benefited from the RSPB's management work. At the same time, many once familiar species are struggling to cope with changes in the wider countryside and the effects of climate change. The plight of turtle doves and spotted flycatchers is of particular concern!'