RSPB
Rye Meads in Hertfordshire is a site that is relatively easy for me to
visit by public transport: bus to Billericay, train to London Liverpool Street
followed by another train to Rye House and then a short walk to the reserve
entrance.
Rye
Meads is
a 58.5 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) located in Rye
House near Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire. It is one of series
of wetlands and reservoirs situated along the River Lea to the
north east of London. It is part of the Lea Valley RAMSAR site (a
group of internationally important wetland sites) and a Special
Protection Area (SPA).
Rye
Meads is
divided into several areas. North of Rye Road is the Rye Meads nature
reserve: the western half of this nature reserve, next to the River
Lea in the Lee
Valley Regional Park, is managed by the RSPB and the eastern
half is managed by the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. It also includes
a meadow and lagoons owned by Thames Water south of Rye Road which is
not open to the public.
I
visited the RSPB Rye Meads reserve which includes a visitor
centre, trails and a number of hides. The seasonal flooding of a large
ancient flood meadow combined with the rich soils has resulted in a mosaic
of habitats, consisting of reedbeds, marshy grasslands and fen vegetation plus
a number of small lakes and a scrape.
The
main target species of my visit today was seeing and photographing a pair of Kingfishers.
However, I did visit with some trepidation given the reports of the “Kingfisher
Hub” (the dedicated viewing hide) being very busy and the totally unacceptable
behaviour of some people, mainly photographers.
As
it turned out, RSPB volunteers managed access to the “Kingfisher Hub” and
monitored behaviour inside it very well.
Whilst
I had excellent views of a single Kingfisher, I did not see the pair or
any courtship or mating behaviour as has been seen in recent days.
Other
than seeing and photographing a Kingfisher, my main highlight was seeing
my first Grey Wagtail of the year, taking my UK year list to 132
species.
During
the short walk down to RSPB
Rye Meads from Rye House station, I heard 2 singing male Chiffchaffs
and a single Cetti’s Warbler. Whilst waiting for my return train, I saw
a Red Kite drifting over the station.
I
had a very enjoyable visit to RSPB
Rye Meads with the following highlights (heard only records in
italics): Kingfisher (1), Gadwall (at
least 20), Tufted Duck (at least 20), Shoveler (at least 20), Teal
(at least 20), Mallard (5), Common Pochard (male), Lapwing (3), Grey
Heron (1), Little Grebe (1), Coot (at least 50), Moorhen
(at least 10), Canada Goose (12), Black-headed Gull (at least
200), Lesser Black-backed Gull (2), Red Kite (1), Sparrowhawk
(1), Kestrel (1), Chiffchaff (4 singing males seen plus 2 others
heard), Blackcap (1 singing male briefly heard), Cetti’s
Warbler (5 singing males heard), Grey Wagtail (1), Reed
Bunting (female)
Here
are some photos from my visit ….
Photo: Kingfisher nesting bank and pond from the "Kingfisher Hub"
Photo: Kingfisher
Photo: Kingfisher
Photo: Kingfisher
Photo: Kingfisher
Photo: Kingfisher
Photo: Kingfisher
Photo: Kingfisher
Photo: Kingfisher
Photo: Kingfisher
Photo: Kingfisher
Photo: male Kestrel
Photo: male Kestrel
Photo: Grey Wagtail
Photo: Grey Wagtail
Photo: male Tufted Duck
Photo: male Teal
Photo: male Gadwall
Photo: Black-headed Gull
Photo: Black-headed Gull
Photo: Black-headed Gulls
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