Breeding Spoonbills cause a stir
UK’s first breeding colony for 300 years sets up in Norfolk nature reserve
 

A Spoonbill family at home at Holkham NNR (© Andrew Bloomfield)
 

This summer, the emerald marshes of Holkham National Nature Reserve in Norfolk are hosting a unique breakthrough for one of the UK’s rarest breeding birds.

The Spoonbill - which has bred only four times in Britain in the last three centuries – has had a stunning success at Natural England’s Holkham reserve, and for the first time in over 300 years the UK has its own breeding colony of these beautiful crane-like birds.

Careful monitoring has confirmed that four nesting pairs have now fledged a total of six young, with at least a further two pairs still feeding their young in nests. At no time since the early 1700s has more than one pair of Spoonbills bred in the UK and conservationists are hoping that the unique breeding success at Holkham will not be a one-off.

Spoonbills are named after their rather comical broad bills which they elegantly sweep through water to feed. Sightings of one or two spring passage birds is typical for north Norfolk, but attention was aroused when a total of 9 Spoonbills - mostly of adults in full breeding plumage - arrived in the area. The Spoonbills set up home in the mixed breeding colony of Cormorants, Grey Herons and Little Egrets already on the site.
 

Spoonbills have only bred in Britain four times in the last three centuries! (© Andrew Bloomfield)
 

Visits to the secluded breeding site were kept to a minimum to avoid disturbing the birds but it soon became clear that one adult bird was sitting on a nest with several other adults present in the surrounding area.

Michael Rooney, Natural England’s Senior Reserve Manager at Holkham NNR, said : “A lot of careful work has gone into creating and managing ideal habitats for a range of nesting birds at Holkham NNR, so it is very exciting that the reserve has become a safe haven for a breeding colony of Spoonbills. As several pairs nested successfully this year, we hope that the birds will return and establish a permanent colony in future years.”

Natural England manages the freshwater marshes at Holkham to cater specifically for wetland breeding birds. Maintaining high water levels through the spring into mid-summer is critical and has resulted in a dramatic increase in the population of many breeding species. The nesting colony is surrounded by water and is therefore safe from predators, while the presence of pools in adjacent fields provides nearby feeding opportunities for the adults raising hungry chicks.

Michael Rooney continued: “Many (if not most) of the Spoonbills that visit Holkham and other areas of England originate from the increasing breeding population in the Netherlands. As numbers have been increasing in Western Europe in recent years, expectations have been high that spoonbills would soon colonise Britain. White plumed Spoonbill chicks taking their first flight above the Norfolk marshes is something we hope will become an annual occurrence on the Holkham NNR.”
 

Adult Spoonbill with young (© Andrew Bloomfield)
 
Disturbance to Spoonbills

Please note, Spoonbills are protected by Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. This means it is an offence to disturb the birds at or near the nest site or away from the nest site when they are with dependent young.
 
For further information about Natural England’s national nature reserve at Holkham please visit their webpage here
 
 

About Natural England

Natural England is the government’s independent advisor on the natural environment. Established in 2006 their work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.

Natural England establish and care for England’s main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are looked after and improved.

Natural England work to ensure that England’s landscapes are effectively protected, designating England’s National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Marine Conservation Zones, and advising widely on their conservation.

Natural England run England’s Environmental Stewardship green farming schemes that deliver over £400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland.

Natural England fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of England’s species and habitats.

Natural England promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.
 
 

Natural England
2nd Aug 2010