Recent sightings at Titchwell

Thanks to Eleanor Reast for the Titchwell sightings list.

Titchwell RSPB Reserve Selected Bird Records

The reserve team at RSPB Titchwell Marsh and Snettisham nature reserves

A visit to RSPB Titchwell Marsh Reserve

RSPB Ouse Washes Friday 16th June:

As many of you may be aware the reserve has suffered from another spring flooding and the reserve looks very similar to this time last year.The flooding began just after the very wet  weather on the second May bank holiday, which caused the flood gates to be opened. The water level is currently 1.95 m and it reached a peak of 2.6 meters on 9th May. (Ideally it would currently be between 0.5m and 0.8m.)

On a more positive note the Pilot Project and Carroll's ground (10 fields that have been converted to wet grassland adjacent to the washes) have this year supported 69 pairs of breeding waders, the break down is lapwing 26 pairs, snipe 18 pairs and redshank 25 pairs. This area is also a good place to look for ducks - although they are often hidden in the long grass. Garganey, a pair of pintail and small flocks of teal have all been regularly recorded in these areas. This area is best viewed from the back of Cadbury, Cottier and Stevens hide and stretches all the way to the railway.

Around the visitor centre there are 10 pairs of tree sparrows  - one pair has even decided to nest in the workshop roof! Fledged tree sparrows can be seen around the feeders begging for food.

RSPB Ouse Washes Friday 7th May:

Following a breeding bird survey this morning the following birds were seen:

6 black terns heading north (Cottier hide)
Green sandpiper (Cadbury hide)
Singing cetti's warbler (by the railway)
4 dunlin (Cadbury hide)
Garganey (in front of Stevens and Cottier hides)
Black-tailed godwit (Stockdales hide)
Common Sandpiper (Stockdales hide)

RSPB Ouse Washes Friday 2nd May:

The washes are still wet at the moment and the water level is 1.25 meters,ideally it would be 0.5 meters. But breeding waders can be seen on ten arable fields that the RSPB have converted to wet grassland. These fields can be viewed from the back of Cadbury, Cottier and Stevens hides. Lapwings are busy nesting and displaying. The first of the lapwing chicks (20 and counting!) have hatched and if you are lucky, they may be seen feeding along the edges of the furrows. Other displaying waders to look for include snipe and redshank. 

Marsh harriers are often seen hunting around Welches Dam hide and the arable behind. This hide is also a good area to look for garganey as males have been seen there on a number of occasions.

On the washes the best area for waders appears to be around Sutton Gault. 2 Avocet were seen there this morning and this is probably the best area to look for passage waders.

Yellow hammers and turtle doves have been seen feeding on the grain at the back of the visitor centre and this is also where the first damselfly - large red - was seen this morning.


Alex Thomas
Assistant Warden
RSPB Ouse Washes Reserve
Welches Dam, Manea, March, Cambs, PE15 0NF
Tel:01354 680212

Recent sightings from group members: -

Abbey Farm Flitcham 24 July, 2008:-
Those of you who visit Abbey Farm at Flitcham will know that the pair of Mute Swans that nested in front of the hide prouduced seven cygnets and after a few days moved to the piece of water behind the farm house.  They have now re-appeared to the water in front of the hide but there are now only four cygnets remaining but one of them is of the Polish variety (all white, not brown, with pale legs, not black).
It is worth making a visit if you have not seen one previously.

Sightings of interest at Nar Valley Fisheries, Sunday 20th July, 2008:-
2 Common Buzzard, 1 Common Sandpiper, 13 Great crested Grebe, 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Snow Goose ( feeding with a large group of Greylag Geese).

Sightings of interest at Pentney Pits, Sunday 20th July, 2008:-
2 Redshank, 4 Great crested Grebe, 26 Common Tern (this figure includes chicks), 1 Ringed Plover.

Sightings of interest at Nar Valley Fisheries, Sunday 29th June 2008:-
1 Barnacle Goose, 1 Common Sandpiper, 13 Great crested Grebe (including 3 young), 2 adult Mute Swan with 3 cygnets, 2 of the cygnets had normal colouration and the other was pure white giving the impression that it was of the POLISH form, 1 Sedge Warbler  and 130+ House Martin almost all juveniles at rest in a large bush with bare branches.

Sightings of interest at At Nar Valley Fisheries, Sunday 11th May 2008:-
1 Common Sandpiper, 11 Common Tern, 1 Garden Warbler, 27 Great crested Grebe, 2 Little ringed Plover, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler and 2 Turtle Dove.

Sightings of interest at Pentney Pits, Sunday 11th May 2008:-
1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little ringed Plover and 10 Common Tern.

At Nar Valley Fisheries, Sunday 13th April 2008:-
5 Little Ringed Plover.

At Pentney Pits, Sunday 13th April 2008:-
2 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Yellow Wagtail.

Thanks to David Lake