World Wetlands Day

Water Street, East Lambrook, Somerset, Jan 2013 (Photo by M Werkmeister)

This photo was sent to me by a family friend recently, apparently the road is called 'Water Street'...I know!

So today is World Wetlands Day - a virtual hands up who knew that? Ah maybe you did, maybe you didn't...the main thing is you do now. It marks the day in 1971 when the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was signed in the city of Ramsar in Iran. What we now know as the Ramsar Convention has since taken massive strides in highlighting the importance of wetlands and shaping how they are conserved around the world. This year the theme is water management.

Writing this now from a hilly and residential South London suburb, wetlands seem far removed from everyday life. But those marshes and mudflats at the mouth of the Thames and those rivers and reservoirs threading through the wider landscape, allow us to live much as we do. They are alternately a sponge, soaking up the power of the high-energy waves and the vagaries of inclement weather; they are a fundamental and free-flowing source of hygiene and survival, they are simultaneously a natural drainage and storage system. They are many other things too.

As well as our reliance on them, wetlands are also unique and fantastically biodiverse habitats, home to a bewildering number of flora and fauna species and used by many more. I spent today doing my best to share the joys of one such place in West London, or at least, giving the punters what they wanted and showing off some pretty birds.

Kempton Nature Reserve is a relatively new reserve, created in the last decade of so by Thames Water. As a former working reservoir, water is the influencing force here and through time and careful management, a charming, rich mosaic of habitats has formed. Today we saw Reed Buntings flitting over a reedbed and a handsome Gadwall bobbing like a cork as it dabbled in the velvety blue pools. A Snipe did nothing save cast a shadow as it froze on an island to avoid detection. A Kestrel flew in and began hovering over one of the muddy banks, keen eyes looking for invisible trails or the twitch of a mousy tail. At one point the hide was full of kids and I asked them what they could see, "SWANS!!", "FISH!", "DUCKS!" were the answers yelled back at me. It was cold and overcast and February, but the place was still full of life...and I guess that's ultimately what World Wetlands Day is about. As photos like that at the top and recent news articles show, it is vital that sensitive wetland management is taken seriously by politicians - so much depends on it.

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) North London, Jan 2013

Pledging to fledge!

This is just a quick post to say thanks to those who came along to my walk for the 'Pledge to Fledge' initiative at Nunhead Cemetery this morning. You can click on that green badge in the top right of the screen to read more about the pledge. I think it promotes a great, simple idea - to share a passion for birds and nature however you can. I hope those that came along enjoyed their morning walk, there were certainly lots of good questions asked!

It was a quieter morning in the cemetery than recent, but we enjoyed a softly cooing Stock Dove by the entrance, several noisy yapping Great Spotted Woodpeckers and loud bursts from secretive wrens throughout. Several Chiffchaffs were heard in their favoured patches of scrub, plaintive hweets! giving them away. I wonder how long these birds will be around for or if the cemetery will hold any wintering birds this year? Blue tits and Great tits buzzed in small flocks here and there and sweetly singing robins seemed to follow us around. Carys who came along, described listening for bird song as "meditative". I would agree with that.

Nunhead Cemetery is a little wonder, an example of what can happen if nature is left (relatively) unchecked. I think we all need a little wildness. Birds included.

        

Interesting link here to a London Wildlife Trust report on how birds in the capital are doing according to the BTO's Breeding Bird Survey.  

Nunhead Cemetery birdwalk next Friday (24th)

Hi

I'd like to invite you to join me for a guided walk around the beautiful Nunhead Cemetery next Friday 24th August at 9am.

I have been birdwatching around SE London for a number of years and Nunhead Cemetery as always been one of my favourite spots. Secluded and undisturbed, it has a good variety of habitats including woodland, grassland and scrub, as a result it is a valuable local site for birds and other wildlife. Over the duration of this one and a half hour walk, we will listen out for some of the cemetery's resident species as well as some that might just be passing through. The walk will look at why these birds are found here and what we can do to encourage them.

This walk is for anyone who'd like to know more about the birds in the local area and pick up some helpful ID tips. It doesn't matter if you can't tell a Robin from a Wren, this walk will focus on identifying common garden birds by sight and sound.

Meeting point is inside the Linden Grove gates. Map here.

I was inspired to do this by a new global birding initiative called 'Pledge to Fledge'. This initiative encourages people with a passion for birds to share it with others over the weekend 24th-26th August 2012. I think it's a great idea and really hope you can join me!

Peter