Awash with Waders – from flocks to murmurations
Rye Harbour
We were recently at Rye Harbour on a fine autumn day. It was lovely to watch the mixed flocks of Oystercatchers and gulls feeding along the marsh edge, occasionally lifting off as one, to circle, land and resume their daily business.
The sight of the circling birds brought to mind 20th March 2019, the time of the Worm Moon, when the full moon coincides with the moon’s closest approach to earth. It is then that it has its greatest effect on the tides. If the high tide is during daylight hours, the place to be is The Wash, in Norfolk, to see one of the UK’s most spectacular birding events. We were fortunate to be there.
The Wash
The Wash is a huge bay, approximately 20km X 30kms, much of it comprising shallow sand and mud banks cut by deeper channels. At low tide the exposed areas of mud become a haven for feeding waders. It is one of the most important wildlife areas in the UK, with upwards of 2 million birds using it throughout the year to nest, overwinter, or as a migration stopover.
Its importance is reflected in the numerous designations of protection and status received over the years. It also forms part of the RSPB’s Snettisham reserve.
The Rising Tide
The rising tide travels quickly across the mud flats, and as it moves, the birds are pushed ahead into the decreasing space. The higher the tide the faster the pace of the incoming tide and the more limited the space, and more extraordinary the sight and sound of these thousands of birds retreating onto the remaining mud and gravel banks.
On the 20th March 2019, the tide turned late afternoon, the skies were clear, and we were able to watch this spectacular event during the two to three hours before nightfall.
An Extraordinary Spectacle For All Comers
Whether the keenest birder or just an interested visitor, the sight and sound of the tens of thousands of waders and other water birds moving in such concentrations is an unforgettable experience, especially during times of exceptionally high tides.
The Wash Wader Ringing Group
But the Wash is more than just a haven for water birds, bird enthusiasts and visitors, it is the focus of important long-term research on the numbers and movement of our resident and visiting waders.
The Wash Wader Ringing Group was set up in 1959 to undertake the systematic study of waders. They focus their research on ten key species, and since its inception the volunteer team has ringed over 300,000 birds.
As Graham Appleton explains in his recent overview of the group’s 60 year history, the data derived has been vital for the understanding of the complexity of wader migration routes, and the timing and interaction of the subspecies or races of the ten target species. The data is internationally important and has been used variously for influencing campaigns against such potentially disastrous developments as the extension of Lisbon airport, through to an improved understanding of how and why particular species are at risk, and how this might be mitigated..
see: “aeroporto-do-montijo” Lisbon airport: https://livinginnortheastportugal.woodcockwood.com/?p=268)
and Graham Appleton: https://wadertales.wordpress.com/2019/08/15/sixty-years-of-wash-waders/
Waders are beautiful birds and at times spectacular to watch. They are under threat in so many ways, but let us enjoy them and protect their habitat while we are able.
Related Articles:
https://woodcockwood.com/sanderling-and-gulls-on-hastings-beach/
https://woodcockwood.com/the-turnstones-of-hastings/