BIRDS and NATURE
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The Solway is characterised by expansive skies and the call of passing birds.
Habitats:
The Estuary is one of the largest in Britain. It lies on a point where the migration route of birds from Arctic Canada, Greenland and Iceland meets another migration route from Northern Europe and Russia. These "flyways" tend to follow the coast and the Solway Estuary forms part of a critical chain of "stop-over" points for birds, where they may rest, feed, moult or even spend the whole winter. The intertidal areas of sand and mud are teeming with life. Shell fish, worms and crustaceans provide a rich food source for birds and fish.
The Saltmarshes were (and still are being) formed. When the level of sand and mud in the estuary reaches a high enough level it can be colonised by salt-tolerant (haophytic) plants. Once established, the plants roots bind the mud and other plants causing passing water to slow down and deposit even more sand and mud. The whole process continues until only the highest tide covers the marsh. Carefully monitored livestock grazing creates ideal conditions for Ducks, Geese and other wildfowl.
The Raised Mires or Peat Bogs occupy the centre of the Cardurnock Peninsula. They began forming 7,000 years ago and are now up to 10 metres deep. Peat is the accumulation of undecayed plant remains, mainly sphagnum mosses that grow in acid, waterlogged conditions. The peat is 80% water, over which grows a living skin of plants. Some parts of the mosses have begun to dry out as they have been drained in the past due to peat extraction. Scrub has begun to colonise these areas but this too provides valuable cover for birds and homes for insects.
Places to visit
Nature Reserves are highlighted on the map of the Cardurnock peninsula, an area known locally as "The Island". (click here to view map)
Extracted from Birdwatch Magazine, December
1999
Copyright Mark
Ward
As I stood on
the south shore of the Solway Firth at Grune Point, the view across the
water to the towering hills of Scotland was breathtaking. Cumbria's west
coast is a real jewel in the county's crown with a range of bird life to
match its impressive scenery.
The Solway Firth is the third largest
area of continuous intertidal habitat in the UK and hosts thousands of
wintering wildfowl and waders. This was immediately obvious as we drove
along side it with skeins of Pink-footed Geese passing over. They had
spent the night roosting on the estuary and were heading to rich farmland
feeding grounds nearby. Our first stop gave further insights into the
riches on offer: We counted 400 Pinkfooted gees feeding on an area of
saltmarsh while large numbers of curlew, dunlin, ringed plover and
redshank fed in the muddy creeks. The sudden appearance of a young male
peregrine falcon shattered the peaceful scene. It perched obligingly on a
rock near to where we stood, affording excellent views. Cumbria is home to
a high density of this majestic raptor.
Wildfowl were much in
evidence on the estuary: a large flotilla of wigeon and pintail bobbed off
shore; red breasted merganser were plentiful and a flock of 60 scaup swept
past and landed. This elegant duck is a speciality of the Solway Firth -
recent counts of 2,300 birds represent 58% of the British wintering
population.
Campfield Marsh RSPB Reserve
We arrived at
Campfield Marsh RSPB reserve further up the estuary for a rendezvous with
warden Norman Holton. The 200 acres of peat based farmland on the reserve
have been managed sensitively to provide feeding for wintering geese. As a
result large numbers of barnacle geese now spend time on the English side
of the Solway.
As we walked up the reserve drive, Norman's well
trained ears picked up the conversational calls of these birds. We peered
carefully round a hedge and were treated to the wonderful spectacle of a
field full of these delightful geese. He estimated 1,250 birds in the
flock, a good proportion of the 12,000 that come to the Solway from
Svalbard.
"That's the sound of the Solway," said Norman as the
flock to the air in a flurry of wingbeats and yapping calls. A red
breasted goose wintered with the barnacle geese here for three years
between 1991 and 1994
Wildfowl predominate in the winter on the
purposely flooded fields and pintail, wigeon, teal and shoveler were very
much in evidence. Several rarities have appeared over the years,
contributing to the total of 189 species logged on this varied but
relatively new reserve. Breeding waders are also thriving thanks to the
RSPB's management, and there is hope that black tailed godwits might
return to breed.
The raised mire habitat of the reserve is a
valuable resource which can boast sea level nesting red grouse and a
winter hen harrier roost among its attractions. As we walked back, the
day's second peregrine falcon passed menacingly over heading towards the
estuary in search of food
Viewing Points
Various lay-bys along the minor road from Bowness to Cardurnock
provide excellent viewing positions and we were greeted with a hive of
activity as hundreds of birds moved around in response to their ever
changing surroundings. Waders were assembling on the high ground on the
near side of the estuary - the largest roosts on the Solway form here.
Grey plovers and bar tailed godwits were the commonest and excitable
oystercatchers gathered in force. I counted at least 20 red throated
divers out on the estuary, goldeneye and redbreasted merganser were also
numerous while another flock of scaup was engrossed in bouts of active
diving.
Specials
Other winter attractions here include flocks of snow bunting and twite and glaucous and Iceland gulls can be found among the large gatherings of their commoner cousins. In recent years it has become apparent that the Solway is a major migration route for seabirds and the railway viaduct at Bowness on Solway is a good place to watch them from. A variety of species move inland up the Solway in both spring and autumn. In late April and May pomarine skuas are a speciality here and long tailed skuas have also been sighted. From late summer shearwaters, storm petrels terns and a variety of passage waders pass by daily. Late in the autumn three species of diver, grebes (including red necked) and seaduck can be seen arriving for the winter.
Inland
In the fells, a short way inland, buzzards and ravens are a common sight. We passed through spectacular valleys with craggy hillsides towering above the roadside where, in the summer, ring ouzels, whinchats, northern wheatears, wood warblers common redstarts and pied flycatchers are common. Dippers go about their business on the fast flowing rivers.
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