It’s once bittern twice spied as birds return

By MATTHEW REVILLE


LARGE numbers of a rare bird that was once extinct in the United Kingdom have settled in a redeveloped old quarry in Peterborough.

Changes to King’s Dyke Nature Reserve have attracted the uncommon bitterns to the site, and they have now been spotted there for the second year in a row.

On Wednesday the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said young bitterns were sighted there for the first time this year, meaning they are settling and breeding.

The birds – best known for their distinctive ‘booming’ call – have been flocking to the former quarry, as the numbers of the species in the country rise to more than 100 for the first time since 1911.

The location was formerly one of a series of clay quarries just east of Whittlesey.

The pit has been excavated to a depth of 16 metres below sea level but the water is still kept to a low level by pumping.

Hanson Brick, the owners of the site, restored the pit as a 16 hectare nature reserve in 1999, and its lush greenery and lakes make perfect conditions for bitterns.

David Weeks, communications manager for Hanson Brick, said: “It is very good news that the bitterns have been nesting at King’s Dyke.

“There has been an amazing transformation from the old brick quarry into a nationally recognised nature reserve.

“Our volunteers who have put in a lot of time and effort to get to this stage, and the fact it is now attracting bitterns is a great thing.”

King’s Dyke Nature Reserve is not the only revamped quarry to be providing a safe haven for bitterns to nest and breed.

More than 100 have been found nesting in 26 sites throughout England, including Needingworth Quarry, Huntingdon, for the first time ever.

The numbers represent a vast improvement on the overall count of just 11 birds recorded in 1996.

The minerals industry has been at the centre of the push for action to secure the return of the bittern, and the group Nature After Minerals (NAM) has been set up to create a formal link between industry chiefs and the RSPB and Natural England.

They aim to encourage the effective and sustainable restoration of quarries for the benefit of wildlife and local communities.

RSPB Warden, Chris Hudson, said: “Across the county we are losing some species at an alarming rate.

“The mineral products industry is uniquely positioned to step up and help turn this around.

“The Hanson-RSPB projects are a fantastic example of how quarry sites around the country can be restored for the benefit of wildlife.”

Mineral Products Association (MPA) Chief Executive Nigel Jackson said: “Given the right recognition and support, we can achieve a great deal more yet. Protecting and enhancing biodiversity is finally being recognised as one the industry’s hidden benefits.

“As a critical part of the UK’s manufacturing base, we are essential to construction, to the economy and to growth and uniquely placed to make a significant contribution to halting the decline in the UK’s biodiversity.

“Our members already manage or control an area of land that adds up in size to a small national park.”

In October, Hanson finished as runners-up at the MPA’s Restoration Awards Scheme ceremony in London for its work at the Kings Dyke Nature Reserve.

Over 140 species of birds have been recorded on the reserve including raptors, breeding waders and a range of wetland and scrub birds.

What is a bittern
BITTERNS are a thickset heron which is a secretive bird and difficult for even the most seasoned birdwatcher to see.

The small birds have a length of 75cm and a wingspan of 130cm, and can most regularly be seen moving silently through reeds looking for fish.

They have an all-over pale buffy-brown plumage covered with dark streaks and bars.

In contradiction to their secretive appearance, they are easily heard through their remarkably far-carrying booming voice – especially the males in spring.

Bitterns have such a small population they appear on the RSPB’s Red List – meaning they are one of the most threatened in the UK.

Although they are rare, the birds are most regularly seen in the south of England and in East Anglia.

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