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info@fpwnr.org
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve
When you visit the nature reserve have you ever wondered what is deep, very deep beneath your feet? ![]()
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While this short video refers to the neighbouring salt marsh what lies below is the same . . .
Whimbrel are still around in the estuary. They are passing through on the way to their northern breeding grounds on the tip of Scotland and beyond. It can be hard to tell them apart from their bigger cousin, the curlew. Here is a great video from the BTO British Trust for Ornithology to help with that.
BTO Bird ID - Curlew and Whimbrel
youtube.com
Curlew is a familiar wader, found in wild habitats around the UK. In April and May numbers of their smaller cousin, Whimbrel, will be moving through towards ...
At high tide yesterday there were a mixture of Whimbrel and Curlew on the North Island- 22 in total - all of which have Red - endangered status - from a conservation viewpoint. These birds would normally have been on the saltmarsh but came inland because of the flooding. This demonstrates why we must protect the saltmarsh. It may look fairly empty as you walk along but it is not. We want to encourage more such visitors and experience what it feels like to have such rareties visit us . Please do not allow your dogs to run free out onto the marsh. Protect the wildlife
This is a special place!You might already know that our salt marshes and mudflats are Sites of Special Scientific Interest. But did you know that they are also part of the Severn Estuary Special Protection Area, a Special Conservation Area and RAMSAR site?![]()
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That is because the Severn Estuary is one of the most important estuaries in the UK for overwintering wildfowl and waders and is of international importance. ![]()
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Each winter, well over 70,000 birds use the estuary's salt marshes and mudflats. Its waters support vast numbers of invertebrates, crabs, mussels and the like and more than 100 species of fish. The estuary is a vital route for migratory fish such as Atlantic salmon, sea trout and eels.![]()
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So it is a special place in many ways, mud and all!
A good bird tally of 46 species during a walk around the reserve this morning. Highlights were 2 Yellow Wagtails near the S Pool (the first I've ever seen on the reserve), big numbers of Swallows and House Martins fresh in with a least one Swift and Lesser Whitethroat and Common Whitethroat singing alongside Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Reed Warbler and Cetti's Warbler. ![]()
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Spring is springing out all over - despite the cold north wind!
Portbury Wharf Dog Rangers are our wildlife-friendly dogs. With a little help from their owners, they sign up to the four simple pledges that protect the wildlife on the nature reserve and the salt marsh.![]()
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🐾 I will stay on the paths on the nature reserve![]()
🐾 I will stay on the path on the salt marsh![]()
🐾 I won't swim in the rhynes and pools![]()
🐾 I won't chase the wildlife![]()
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These four pledges make a real difference to the creatures living here, giving them space to feed and raise a family. ![]()
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At this time of year, ground nesting birds like skylarks are especially vulnerable. You won't see their nests hidden in the grass on the salt marsh, so they can very easily be trampled by us and our dogs. The UK skylark population has fallen drastically, by around 50%, in recent years. So we want to look after our Portbury Wharf skylarks. You will often hear them singing endlessly above the salt marsh. They can be so high up that they are really hard to spot.![]()
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As a thank you to our Dog Rangers for taking the pledge we have four prize draws per year. Bosley is the winner of the first one. He wins a £20 pet shop voucher so his owner can buy him some lovely treats. Well done Bosley!![]()
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You can sign up your wildlife friendly dog ranger at www.portburywharfnaturereserve.co.uk/dog-rangers/.![]()
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Please share this so other dogs (and their owners) know how to become dog rangers and protect our wildlife.😀
This is a good time to look out for the swallows, house martins, sand martins and swifts.
They spend the winter in Africa where it is warmer and there are lots of insects to eat. ![]()
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In spring they will fly back here to nest and raise a family. The sand martin is the first to arrive, as early as February, while the swift is the last to arrive in late April and May.![]()
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Where there is water there are usually lots of insects so the nature reserve is a great place to watch them and admire their aerial acrobatics as they chase insects.![]()
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Though it can be difficult identifying who is who, especially in flight, so here is a great ID video from the British Trust for Ornithology.![]()
www.youtube.com/watch?v=klya9oEK57M
It is World Curlew Day today so time to celebrate the curlew. ![]()
We are lucky to see curlew both on the nature reserve and along the estuary. ![]()
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Did you know?![]()
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1. They are the UKs largest wading bird![]()
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2. The oldest recorded bird was 32 years, though the average life span is thought to be closer to 10 years![]()
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3. They spend the winter on the coast and in muddy estuaries like ours![]()
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4. In spring breeding curlews migrate to moorlands and riverside meadows to nest![]()
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5. Curlew nest on the ground so eggs and chicks are very vulnerable![]()
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6. Numbers of breeding curlew have halved in 20 years![]()
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7. In lowland southern England the population has declined to just 500 pairs, with many colonies on the verge of local extinction![]()
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8. They now have the same “Near Threatened” conservation status as the jaguar![]()
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PS Thanks to Curlew Action, a charity working to save the curlew, for creating this lovely World Curlew Day graphic.
We are delighted to see the return of our first common sandpiper to the North island and if you are thinking of popping along this weekend- the please keep your eyes open. You will probably need binoculars as this little chap is small as you can see from the video attached. Look for the tiny bird on the waters edge
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Last Updated: February 2, 2021 by fpwnr
February – What to look out for
Look out for FROGS and TOADS!
This is their mating time and they are on the move. February and March is the time when we are most likely to see them as large numbers converge on their breeding ponds. As Portbury Wharf is a wetland area with plenty of lovely watery places many frogs, toads and newts will be heading our way.
They have spent the winter in hedges, muddy ditches, under stones, plant pots or hunkered down under compost heaps. The rising temperature triggers the breeding season.
Frogs become increasingly active in garden ponds just before the migration begins, a sure sign that movement is imminent. I can hear frogs croaking and frolicking in my pond as I type this! If weather conditions are favourable (mild, damp evenings) the onset of migration is sudden. They will begin, en masse, to head to their breeding ponds.
They take the quickest route along ancestral pathways to the pond were they spawned. This often brings them into conflict with cars, cyclists and pedestrians.
Usually you can join Portishead Toad Patrol to help them cross the Village Quarter and The Vale safely. However this year, unfortunately COVID-19 has put paid to that but hopefully with less traffic during the lockdown they will be okay.
Winter birds are still here
The winter birds are still around so take a look at what you might expect to see on our Winter Birds page. They will be going back north to nest soon so see them while you still can!
See if you can spot Dunlin and Wigeon on the North Pool or out on the estuary . . .
. . . or maybe you will hear the beautiful warbling call of a curlew or two.
Category: what to look for
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Be safe, keep our wildlife safe and follow the Countryside Code