The mating season is here! .... at 10:45 p.m., I heard a distant vixen Red Fox "screaming" for several minutes.
Spring is here! .... earlier in the day, I heard 2 "drumming" Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the woodland either side of Chucrh Hill as I walked up towards St. Nicholas Church.
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RSPB President Doctor Amir Khan GP explains how getting outdoors, even on a chilly winter's day, can lift our mood. He also discusses Nature Prescriptions created by the RSPB to benefit the health of people and nature.
SS15 wildlife watching: Well done Derbyshire
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As a member and supporter of the World Land Trust for a number of years now, I am pleased and proud to have made my small contribution.
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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.
An Abellio Greater Anglia ticket sale which offered me a day return from Billericay to Rye House for a mere £10 prompted another visit today.
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.
I recorded 3 further additions to
my 2023 UK year list: Bearded Tit (male and female seen plus others heard
calling), Green Sandpiper (1) and Red-crested Pochard (male and
female)
I saw a single Kingfisher from the Kingfisher Hub but it was an extremely brief sighting and unfortunately I was unable to get any photos on this visit. Prior to getting to the hide, other observers had had extended views of a male and female Kingfisher excavating a nest hole in readiness for the breeding season.
Other notable records during my visit across the included the following: Shoveler (c.20), Gadwall (c.20), Teal (c.10), Tufted Duck (c.20), Common Pochard (c.20), Mallard (c.10), Mute Swan (3), Canada Goose (2), Little Grebe (3), Water Rail (1), Coot (c.20), Moorhen (c.10), Little Egret (2), Grey Heron (2), Lapwing (c.200), Common Snipe (1), Black-headed Gull (c.150), Lesser Black-backed Gull (2), Redwing (c.10), Common Buzzard (1), Stock Dove (3), Reeves Muntjac (8), Grey Squirrel (1)
Here are some other photos from my visit ….
Photo: Grey Heron
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