Redundant flat-bottomed barges now providing Essex estuary habitat for roosting shorebirds

                                       

New habitat for shorebirds - the three flat-bottomed barges (photo: National Trust)

THREE decommissioned barges have been sunk in the Blackwater Estuary in Essex to help protect Northey Island against rising sea levels.

This multi-partner initiative initiative, led by the National Trust, also aims to slow the loss of saltmarsh and provide a roosting habitat for wetland bird species  such as Redshank, Curlew, Lapwing, Little Tern and Avocet.

Once used to transport building materials, coal and food from the Port of London, the redundant barges have spent more than 30 years moored in Essex. 

Measuring between 20 and 32 metres long, they now sit on the inter-tidal mudflats of the estuary creating a new land mass on the edge of the existing saltmarsh at Northey Island.

Says Katy Gilchrist, Coastal Project Manager for the National Trust: “This is the ultimate act of marine recycling - transforming retired industrial vessels into a sanctuary for wildlife. 

"We’re basically turning history into habitat, and as far as we know, no one has attempted anything quite like this before. 

"Holes were cut into the hulls to sink the vessels and they were then filled with sediment, mostly mud, to weigh them down to secure them. 

"Once the island is fully established, with gravel on top, it will sit safely above the highest tides to offer a safe refuge for some declining bird species" which are in decline.” 

The equivalent of  three Olympic swimming pools' sediment is being used to fill and surround the barges before the final gravel surface is added. 

Nigel Cardy of Landbreach Ltd, the specialist contractors carrying out the engineering work, comments: "I have been working on the river for more than 50 years and been involved in some interesting jobs, but this one is a bit special as it ticks so many boxes.

"It makes good use of the old barges, helps keep the channel clear in the Maldon Harbour area and also creates a new habitat for estuary birds.

"Plus river users benefit from the dredging." 

Northey Island is open to the public from April to September and closed in winter to protect overwintering birds. 

More information can be found at: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/northey-island 

RSPB prefers 'extremely hardy' Polish ponies to native breeds on some Scottish wetland reserves

                                                 

Resilient in  cold and wet conditions  - a Konik pony (photo: Alethe via Wikimedia Commons)

THE RSPB has defended its use of a Polish breed of pony, the Konik, instead of a native Highland breed to graze some of its Scottish reserves - such as the one at Insh Marshes, near Aviemore, in The Cairngorms.

It states: "Restoration of natural landscapes using large herbivores as ecosystem engineers has increased in popularity across Europe. 

"We use native breeds - very successfully - on a number of our sites. 

"From a reserve management perspective, our priority is to find the right animal for each grazing need which will best help us achieve our conservation management objectives. 

"If we can do this using native breeds, then that is the ideal scenario, and this is the case on many of our 224 reserves. 

"For example, at RSPB Abernethy, we have grazing Highland cattle. 

"Initially, at Insh Marshes, we looked to our local community for small grazing herds but found little success with the Highland and Connemara ponies available to us. 

"The Konik (Polish for 'small horse') has proliferated widely across Europe in conservation grazing and has thrived in a diverse range of habitats with favourable characteristics that help it survive harsh winters and wet landscapes, perfect for Insh Marshes. 

"Koniks are extremely hardy and deal with the wetland conditions better than most native British breeds. 

"They are also happy eating very rough grazing that is unappetising to many other breeds. 

"We have a long-standing breeding program of Konics at the RSPB Loch of Strathbeg reserve in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

"After careful consideration, we decided to trial some of their ponies at Insh Marshes reserve in 2019 to help manage our rare and important habitats on the floodplain and we continually monitor their progress. 

"After their arrival, the ponies quickly created new breeding areas For  Lapwing, Redshank, and Curlew. 

"We understand and recognise the importance of native breeds on our landscapes and are committed to using them at other reserves across the UK." 

                                       

Creating habitat for Curlews and Lapwings - the RSPB's Insh Marshes reserve

                                         

RSPB sounds alert on multiple marine issues which are taking deadly toll on Europe's sea ducks

                                                  

Long-tailed Duck - this bird glimpsed inland in non-breeding plumage

AS many as 17,000 Long-tailed Ducks die annually in the Baltic Sea after becoming tangled in fishery gillnets.

So says the RSPB which further suggests that the same fate befalls "thousands" of Eiders and Velvet Scoters.

The latest edition of The RSPB Magazine goes on to warn: "UK sea ducks face a plethora of threats on land and at sea."

These include:

* Coastal development

* Habitat destruction

* Disturbance and predation

* Avian flu

* Oil pollution

* The effects of climate change

* The inappropriate siting of offshore wind turbine arrays.

What can be done? On the problem with accidental gillnet bycatch, trials are being conducted with floating marine scarecrows, off Cornwall as well as in the Baltic, to deter dea ducks from feeeding close to fishing area.

The RSPB employs a bycatch programme manager, Yann Rouxel, who is quoted as saying that these trials have shown "promise", but that other measures are also required to reduce the mortalities.

The Wryneck says: This report is extremely worrying. Because the threats to birdlife at sea are often not as conspicuous as those on land, they tend to get overlooked. It is good that the RSPB has sounded the alarm, but it needs to be much, much more outspoken, urgent and persistent in raising public awareness. It would be tragic if our cherished sea ducks were to be lost to Europe's coastal waters. 

                                

Drake Eider - a handsome-looking bird 

Velvet Scoter - increasingly scarce in British waters 

 

Bygone birding: motor cyclist was knocked unconscious in freak collision with Grey Heron

Grey Heron - definitely not a bird to bump into 

Below: news report in  The Daily Telegraph 100 years ago (January 24, 1926):

                                              

                         

Bearded Reedling preserved for posterity - but perhaps not in a way that lifts the spirits

One has to wonder what sad circumstances resulted in this forlorn-looking  Bearded Reedling ending up in a semi-circular glass dome measuring 14 cm x 30cm. It is being offered in a sale to be held by  auction house Tennants of Leyburn in North Yorkshire on Friday January 30. Perhaps someone should buy it just to give it a decent burial in a reedbed. No guide price has been given.

RSPB recruiting for Spurn-based beach-nesting field officer for 2026 breeding season

Flypast of Oystercatchers over the Humber near Spurn

THE RSPB is recruiting for a Humber Beach-nesting Birds Field Officer for 16 weeks during the summer 2026 season.

The three species in the spotlight will be Ringed Plover, Little Tern and Oystercatcher.

Says the job description: "We are looking for an enthusiastic, practical person with ecological experience and good communication skills to join our Humber conservation team. 

"The successful candidate will support monitoring and protection of important beach nesting bird populations  on the north bank of the Humber in East Yorkshire.

"Beach nesting birds are a high conservation priority for the RSPB and this role will help towards securing a future for them."

As well as monitoring, additional duties will include:

* Maintenance of seasonal site fencing (including electric fencing), signage, and other infrastructure as required.

* Carrying out predator monitoring duties including deploying and maintaining trail cameras on site.

* Day-to-day engagement with beach users to inform, educate and raise awareness of beach nesting birds and their threats to empower positive behavioural change.

* Supporting a growing team of dedicated volunteers including assisting with inductions and on-site support as needed.

The successful applicant  will work closely with colleagues across organisations such as the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Spurn Bird Observatory and the Environment Agency.

The post is based at Spurn and  carries a salary equivalent of  £24,571 £26,231 per annum.

The contact for more details is mike.pilsworth@rspb.org.uk.

Closing date for applications is midnight on February 22.

Spurn on a hot and hazy day in summer

Ringed Plovers on the beach at Spurn

Enough is enough! RSPB and Wildlife Trusts decide to quit posting messages on social media platform X

                                   

TWO more wildlife organisations have decided to stop posting messages on  the social media platform, X., 

This is in protest at  X's artificial intelligence tool, Grok, which stands accused of allowing users to manipulate the images of  individuals so as to depict them in  a sexualised way.

Says the RSPB: "We have decided to make our organisational accounts private and remove our historical content.

“Leaving it public would pose a potential safeguarding risk to our staff, volunteers and supporters.”

However, the society says it will keep its X account in place in case it needs to be used in the future.

Meanwhile, the umbrella organisations of dozens of county wildlife groups, The Wildlife Trusts,  has decided to do likewise for similar reasons.

Another frontline organisation, the British Trust for Ornithology, led the way 12 months ago when it decided to fly the X nest.