Notes from London's 'duck scene'

Apologies for the shameless plug but I thought I'd post a short article I wrote recently for London Wildlife Trust's members magazine 'WildLondon'. The theme of this issue is wetlands and in particular, those sites within an urban setting.

It's no surprise to my mind that I often associate 'urban wetlands', those ponds, park lakes and reservoirs among many others, with people. It seems that these spaces draw people in like few other habitats; they are often natural focal points within these landscapes, admired as much for their openess and ebb as they are feared for their mysterious, cool depths. Our urban wetlands also support a wealth of species and central to their appeal is the more immediate sense of contact with wildlife that they offer, unobstructed and at close quarters. 

Visit any urban wetland and chances are the first thing you'll see are ducks - diving, dabbling or displaying - and that's the subject I was given for this article. I love ducks, who doesn't? As such, a 500-word limit was hard. When I re-read my original draft, I'd spent nearly 100 words describing the pleasingly subtle colours and habits of wigeon. Thanks to the editor then for squeezing the bulk of it in. Thanks also for the amazing sub-title. I bet you didn't know London had a 'duck scene'?!

Wallasea

My eyes are streaming from the wind and the scope wants to take off, just like my coffee flask did a moment ago. I glance over and see it lying in the mud. When I squint the wind's tears away the dazzling light takes over, masking the flooded field in front of me. A huge number of Lapwing are gathered on it but they are little more than softly squeaking silhouettes from my vantage point. Pulling my cap down further to give my eyes some respite, I can make out smaller waders at their feet, the pale forms of Dunlin, heads down and busy feeding in the shallow pool. Then all of a sudden, the shapes merge and rise into the air, into the wintry sunlight, into a vast open sky.

This is Wallasea Island, a spectacular wetland regeneration 'project' on the south east coast of Essex, sandwiched somewhere between the River Crouch and the old school slot machines in Southend on Sea. Epic in size and ambition, it's a fitting place to consider and celebrate World Wetlands Day today.

Wallasea Island, Essex, 1/2/14

World Wetlands Day marks the signing of the Ramsar Convention in Iran in 1971, a treaty that recognises the global importance of wetlands and seeks to maintain their conservation measures and promote sustainable use. In 2014, the theme is 'Wetlands and Agriculture' - two themes clearly on display at Wallasea Island. The intertidal mud flats, lagoons, salt marsh and fields here are part of a huge engineering scheme designed to recreate important habitats lost elsewhere in Britain as well as being an example of what can be achieved through sustainable farming practices and endless determination in the modern mitigation process.

Throughout our visit, a conveyor belt is transporting the spoils of Crossrail off a ship and straight onto the site, where large trucks are rolling it out. Mounds of earth flank new ditches that have been recently excavated. But none of this detracts from the landscape and the wildlife. During the day I thought about the fact that I seem to spend a great deal of time exploring places like this, more than woodlands for example - "traipsing round a marsh" as my girlfriend calls it. But I guess this is where I find myself drawn to the most, wetlands to me are fascinating...and full of birds. Even on a day when strong winds mean anything daring enough to raise a wing would likely end up in Belgium, there was plenty to see. A small flock of Golden plover huddled in a field on the drive in and skylarks frequently catapulted out of the grass as we passed along the sea wall. Large flocks of Brent geese, Shelduck and Teal occupied the mudflats while the quickly rising tide bought a smart Red-throated diver in for good views.

While today there is some basic infrastructure in place for visitors, it will be fascinating to see the site in 2019, when it is scheduled to be completed. In a sense though, it will never be completed because wetlands like this are always changing and they need to be given room to do that.

Kestrel in the grass

Emily in the grass

The BTO Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is a great way to discover the species using these important areas and how populations change over time. Check out the new online webs reports here.

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

The Tale of a Tufted Duck

They're found across much of Britain, bobbing contentedly on our lakes, ponds and reservoirs year round, largely ignored I imagine, except for in winter when they come under a bit more scrutiny due to their similarity with the slightly more exotic Scaup. But even tufted ducks have a story...like this one, which I came across in Millwall Dock, East London, on my travels this week:

Tufted Duck (f) (Aythya fuligula) with nasal saddle, Millwall Outer Dock, London, 9/1/13

In a flock with twenty or so birds this female stood out instantly due to the distinct reddish band around her upper mandible. Bit of tufty bling perhaps, or something else? Well in this case it's the latter - the band is a 'nasal saddle', a commonly used method of identifying wildfowl ringed in scientific ornithological studies. Each bird's band is unique thus helping plot the movements of individuals and species as a whole. Projects like this help improve knowledge of migration patterns, routes and key stopover/refuelling destinations. For waterfowl and waders, highly visible markers like this are a useful means of identifying internationally important wetland areas these birds may use.

I'd heard about similar sightings of ringed tufties in the East London area before, including an individual ringed in Portugal frequenting the nearby East India Dock Basin NR. A quick internet search and a prompt exchange of emails with a Europe-wide nasal saddle project based in Coimbra, reveals that this is indeed a Portuguese bird and the same bird that has frequented the area recently.

She's travelled a long way to reach East London (approx. 1375km) but seems to like it here and has been reported regularly in the vicinity. She, or to give her proper name - 'female 1red' was ringed LV1732 (Euring code 5) as a juvenile at São Jacinto Dunes Nature Reserve near the town of Averio, 50km south of Porto on 14th January 2011. She stayed in this area until the end of February that year when she began a migration north. She was seen again at Reserve de la Grande Noé in Normandy, Northern France, between 26th March 2011 and 8th April 2011 before departing again. On the 1st of May she was spotted in London for the first time, at East India Dock Basin NR. Since then she has re-located elsewhere, including Hillfield Reservoir in Hertfordshire, but generally remains faithful to EIDB where she appeared again between March-May 2012. It's interesting to note the periods in which she has not been seen - summer 2011, much of winter 11/12 and again summer 2012. She has spent the last 2 springs at the reserve before summering elsewhere and returning for a spell in autumn - perhaps she returns to the continent? (although she has not been recorded back at São Jacinto) Of further interest, sightings also suggest she may have paired with a similarly ringed male as the two have been seen together in the past at EIDB. I wonder where they'll get to next?

So there you go...just another boring tufty?!

Epic Duck: Local girl (with a Portuguese passport)

East India Dock NR is a great little site - check out the blog here.
More on Tufted ducks here and the Portuguese nasal saddle project here.