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With their strikingly long beaks and magnificent white plumage, spoonbills look like they belong somewhere more exotic than the UK’s windswept saltmarsh.
But as landowners across the country improve wetland habitats and tree cover, greater wading bird numbers are booming.
Once common throughout England and Wales, the spoonbill was hunted to local extinction about 300 years ago. They were killed for their beautiful feathers and their meat was a delicacy enjoyed at medieval banquets.
But in 2010, a colony was discovered on the saltmarshes in north Norfolk, believed to have traveled from the Netherlands and France.
Wandering the marshes to feast on shrimps and small fish, they sometimes spend time and nest on Andrew Bloomfield’s patch, who manages the national nature reserve at Holkham Estate.
Thrilled by the beautiful visitors, he worked with Natural England and the RSPB to ensure they return every year. They now want to double the size of the spoonbill’s nesting area, building ditches and islands with trees to try to future-proof the colony. Other birds, including various species of egret, will also benefit from the expansion. This year, they produced a record 77 young from 43 pairs of spoonbills.
Now the birds have spread across the UK, and breeding pairs and colonies can be found in eight locations, from the south coast to just outside Leeds. Settlements this year include four sites in Norfolk, one in Yorkshire, one in Cumbria, one in Essex and one in Suffolk.
Last week, Bloomfield hosted a group of conservationists to discuss whether the population could grow further and to raise awareness of the birds’ habitat needs so more landowners can attract them.
“We actually have an idea of where they lived around the country by seeing details of estate banquets from the Middle Ages,” he said.
“It was great to have everyone with Spoonbill gathered in one room. Most of them nest in trees but there is an oddity everywhere. You need wood where herons and similar birds can nest, and you need plenty of food nearby. They feed on things like shrimp, prawns, stickleback and eels.”
The creation, maintenance and improvement of wetlands create important carbon sinks and habitats for many animals, some of which form the diet of rare wading birds.
“Here in North Norfolk we are lucky because the saltmarsh is in protected areas. To attract spoonbills, it’s about creating good freshwater habitats, keeping areas free of disturbance where they can nest and settle, and monitoring recreational use that can create levels of disturbance that not only harm spoonbills but other birds as well. can affect he said.
Bloomfield said the country was “without question” experiencing an increase, adding: “Our colony is very successful, it has been in existence since 2010 and the success rate of the young has increased every year, which has enabled them to spread to other places.
“All the wetland work carried out in the UK will play a part in protecting birds crossing the continent from global warming.
“We also sometimes get spoonbills in the UK in winter, which was unheard of 50 to 100 years ago, because the weather is so much milder than it used to be. Nature conservation should consider the new species we are attracting due to climate change.”
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