Wallasea Island RSPB logged a document complete of 38,000 waterbirds throughout its Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) depend in December 2023.
This big depend surpassed the earlier document, which had been set in January 2020.
The massive numbers of waders and wildfowl come within the wake of the Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project, which has reworked the world’s wetland habitats. The recent survey revealed outstanding numbers of a number of species, together with 700 Avocets and greater than 2,000 Black-tailed Godwits.
Large numbers of Black-tailed Godwits have been among the many important outcomes from December’s WeBS depend (Jane Rowe).
The creation of 650 ha of lagoons, mudflats, saltmarsh and coastal grassland between 2015 and 2018 has fulfilled its promise of supporting hundreds of feeding and roosting waterbirds. Notably Jubilee Marsh, overlaying 165 ha, hosted over half of the birds recorded.
Using repurposed soil from London’s Crossrail scheme, the island is a crucial area for varied wader species, together with Black-tailed Godwit, Red Knot, Northern Lapwing, European Golden Plover and Grey Plover. Wildfowl resembling Eurasian Wigeon and Dark-bellied Brent Goose additionally use the lagoons and coastal grazing marsh in massive numbers.
Rachel Fancy, RSPB Site Manager for Wallasea Island, mentioned: “It was great to document 38,000 wetland birds in our December 2023 survey at RSPB Wallasea Island, the highest-ever quantity for the reserve. It’s an thrilling sight to see the waders in such massive numbers swirl across the marsh and lagoons.
“This actually is because of the Wild Coast Project creating large-scale habitats on web site, which reveals that there’s hope for restoring nature throughout England. Projects resembling this are particularly essential proper now because the world goes by a nature and local weather disaster.
“Areas of Jubilee Marsh are round one metre above the present excessive tide degree, offering protected roosting area for species in addition to a refuge for these displaced from different websites as circumstances change.
“It can be thrilling to see what future fowl surveys reveal concerning the reserve, though this document survey already reveals how priceless Wallasea Island is for nature. It additionally highlights the ability of individuals coming collectively to assist nature, so we’d prefer to say an enormous thanks to our great surveyors who assist us depend the birds every year.”
Parts of Jubilee Marsh have been strategically elevated above the very best anticipated tide degree, offering essential high-tide roosts for birds. As sea ranges rise attributable to local weather change, this RSPB reserve’s worth to birds is about to develop additional.
Wallasea Island is a part of England’s East Coast Wetlands, a different community of coastal habitats which collectively hosts thousands and thousands of migratory birds yearly. These wetlands have been additionally added to the UK’s Tentative List of World Heritage websites final yr.
