17th of May: Taking Stock

This week brought much excitement when Point-based rangers Leighton, Luke and Ryan informed me that a Stock Dove was nesting on the Lifeboat House. Up until 2012, a pair of Stock Doves nested in the roof of the building every year. The winter restoration of the Lifeboat House, in 2012/13, made it watertight, which was much appreciated by the rangers living inside, but meant that the Stock Doves no longer had access to their favoured nesting place. A pair were seen in the area in spring 2013, but did not go on to breed. With permission from the National Trust's regional curator, I put up a nest box on the building, which was painted blue to match the Lifeboat House cladding. Sadly, this was never used.

Stock Dove inside the Lifeboat House, 2012 (Joe Cockram)

In 2011, volunteer Bee Büche put up nest boxes designed for Swifts on the look-out tower, hoping to attract them by playing recordings of their calls. Swift calls were played in the tower for three consecutive springs but did not manage to attract Swifts, which have never bred on the Point. In 2015, a pair of Starlings nested in one of the boxes, the first breeding record since the 1980s. This gave me the idea to remove a side panel from one of the Swift boxes so that it might be attractive to Stock Doves. Three years later, and six years since last breeding, it is a delight to have them back!

The nest contains two eggs...

In other news, on Blakeney Freshes we were delighted to hear a Bittern booming in the reedbed this week. The Freshes are looking fantastic at the moment, with good numbers of Lapwing and Redshank chicks...

Redshank chick on Blakeney Freshes (Ajay Tegala)

Lapwing on Blakeney Freshes (Ian Chilton)

Black-headed Gulls have started laying on the Freshes this week, having made nests out of reeds...

And finally, back to the Point, we are thrilled to have Little Terns present at the Watch House colony in double figures, with birds landing near the decoys put out by Blakeney Primary School. If you are walking up the Point, look out for our friendly Little Tern volunteers and please follow their advice to help protect these precious seabirds.

-Ajay Tegala, Ranger

8th of May: Lapwing chicks!

It's been an absolutely cracking bank holiday weekend here on the Norfolk Coast. We seldom see such perfect weather in early May. It felt more like August, especially at Morston Quay with countless happy visitors enjoying the beautiful views and ferry trips in the harbour.

The weather was also appreciated by Lapwings on Blakeney Freshes, which have been hatching their young. The first few days of a chick's life are vital to its survival; warm weather is far better than wet, windy and cold.

Lapwing chick on the Freshes this morning (Ajay Tegala)

Numbers of Redshank and Avocets have increased on the Freshes. Shovelers continue to lay their eggs amongst the grass. One pair of Mute Swans have four eggs, whilst another are still building up their nest. We are also seeing more and more Mallard ducklings and Greylag Goose goslings on the Freshes. It is such a delightful time of year at Blakeney, especially with the vegetation looking so lush and green from the perfect mixture of rain and sunshine.

- Ajay Tegala, Ranger

Little Helping Hands

This spring term, Blakeney Primary School Key Stage 2 have been helping us conserve Little Terns at Blakeney. Sabrina (Membership Manager) has links with the primary school and Ajay has previously made decoys with primary school children in Northumberland. The two of them, along with Lucy (Visitor Welcome Assistant) and Val (Volunteer Ranger), have been helping the children make clay decoys to attract Little Terns to nest in suitable places on the reserve.

Made In Cley gallery very kindly fired the childrens' decoys free of charge, which we are immensely grateful for. The children then did a fantastic job painting their decoys to look like Little Terns.

One of the decoys

Last Thursday, Temple seal trips kindly ferried us all to Blakeney Point so that the children could put their decoys out in time for the first prospecting Little Terns.

Teaching the children about sand dunes

The decoys were put in a fenced enclosure on the main shingle ridge to the east of the Watch House; the Watch House colony as we call it. In the past, Little Terns have nested on areas of beach vulnerable to tidal flooding when spring tides combine with northerly winds. This has happened numerous times and has led to dozens of eggs and chicks failing.

Putting the decoys on the shingle ridge will hopefully attract Little Terns to nest high enough up to avoid being flooded. We have used decoys effectively in the past.

Visiting the colony

Last year, we had a record number of pairs nesting in the Watch House colony and fledging an excellent number of young. We have put the decoys here this year to try to encourage as many birds to nest here again and hopefully have a similarly successful season.

Putting the decoy in place

Little Terns typically follow others when it comes to nesting. Putting the decoys out early in the season will hopefully have the same effect of encouraging other birds to nest.

Whilst on the Point, on 3rd May, the children were lucky enough to spot the first Oystercatcher egg of the season, which was a very exciting moment. That day, six Little Terns were spotted displaying over the Watch House colony. A few days later, this had risen to 14.

We will keep you updated throughout the season. We will also have rangers and volunteers based at the Watch House colony on a daily basis, at our hide on the edge of the colony. Their work involves monitoring and protecting the Little Terns, including greeting walkers that visit the Point. Please follow their advice to avoid accidental disturbance to the colony and please respect the seasonal dog restrictions. This will help the Little Terns to have a better chance at hatching and raising their young.

Text: Ajay Tegala; Photographs: Sabrina Fenn

April Wildlife Round-Up

April has been a month of excitement, with the first Little Tern sighting and nesting well underway for wildfowl and wading birds. Breeding bird surveys continue throughout May.

Breeding birds
Breeding bird surveys on Blakeney Freshes throughout April have recorded 25 Lapwing pairs, with numerous nests found. A pair of Little Ringed Plovers were back on territory by 24th. In the latter half of the month, 28 Avocets were recorded utilising the Freshes with four showing nesting behaviour on the Eye field islands by 29th plus one Blakeney Point. Mallard ducklings were observed on the Freshes from 16th onwards and Greylag Goose goslings from 30th. Three Mallard nests were observed on Far Point between in the first half of the month. The first Redshank nest was observed on 24th. A coordinated Shelduck count across the reserve on 29th recorded 56 pairs. The first Common Terns were observed on Blakeney Point on 6th and first Little Tern on 23rd. On 26th, 350 Sandwich Terns were recorded roosting. It is looking like 2018 will be a late nesting season for Norfolk's Sandwich Terns.

Lapwing nest, Blakeney Freshes (Ajay Tegala)

Swan nest, Blakeney Freshes (Ajay Tegala)

Migrant birds
Numerous migrant Wheatears have been observed on Blakeney Freshes, with eight together on 22nd. Blakeney Point migrant highlights included: first Whimbrel on 13th, two Woodcock on 14th, Cetti’s Warbler on 16th (possibly first record on the Point itself), first Common Redstart on 17th, five Common Cranes over on 18th, first Swift on 23rd, Dotterel on 24th, first Common Whitethroat on 27th plus numerous Ring Ouzels, frequent Eider sightings, Velvet Scoter and several Yellow Wagtails.

Seals
On 20th April, Naga – the Grey Seal pup we rescued on 15th December with a gash in its head – was released at Horsey Beach after healing under the care of RSPCA East Winch rescue centre. As is often the case in the spring, seal numbers have been low, likely due to better fishing elsewhere in the North Sea. Low tide counts are expected to rise throughout May. Common Seal numbers are already rising with 75 counted on 14th April.

Other wildlife
The week commencing 16th April provided lots of butterfly interest on Friary Hills, with Brimstone, Holly Blue and Orange Tip recorded along with several Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and whites. Lizards were also observed basking. The end of April saw the first Bluebells blooming in Bullfer Grove, our woodland off the A148 east of Bale Garage; well worth a visit in early May. 

Ajay Tegala,

Ranger