Migratory birds are building a diverse range of nests
at Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre in Berkshire after flying thousands
of miles from Africa.
With bodies shorter than a ball-point pen,
the first to complete their impressive journeys in March and mid-April
were the sand martins and the reed warblers. They have now been joined
by the larger, silver-winged common terns.
All will have come to England to pair up and raise young before travelling back to Africa in the summer.
RSPB
project officer Lynsey MacFarlane said, 'We can already see lots of
sand martins building their nests in the purpose-built artificial bank
next to the Centre.
'It's incredible to see them working so hard after having just flown all the way from Africa.'
'We can already see lots of sand martins building their nests in the purpose-built artificial bank'
Like
other birds, sand martins are very particular about where they nest.
They burrow holes in vertical sandy banks, often near rivers.
Lynsey
said: 'Sand martins are perfectly capable of building their own nests.
But their global population is declining, probably due to climate change
and other factors causing drought in their African wintering grounds.
'By
providing extra suitable nest sites where they can breed and raise
their young in spring and summer, we can give them a boost while they
face the challenges of the changing environment.
'And even though
their African wintering grounds may seem out of reach, we can also help
protect them from further climate change by reducing our carbon
emissions.'
The common terns have also suffered recent declines. Climate change and overfishing are the suspected causes.
Also
known as 'sea swallows', they make their nests by scraping out a
shallow hole in shingle or sand. Staff at the Centre are have made
special rafts for them to nest on.
Thatcham also boasts the
largest areas of inland reedbed in southern England. This is where Reed
Warblers will soon be building their cup-like nests, suspended between
reed stems.
Monitoring work by the Newbury Ringing Group has
helped reveal that reed warblers nesting in Berkshire fly as far south
as Ghana in West Africa for the winter.
Lynsey added, 'Migratory
species like these are a reminder of the strong links between habitats
here and in far off parts of the world. These birds need both in order
to survive.'
Lynsey is running free Date with Nature events at the
Centre from 11 am to 4 pm most Saturdays and Sundays until the end of
September. Visitors of all ages can come and see the nesting birds, try a
little pond dipping, and learn about the other wildlife supported by
the variety of habitats at Thatcham.
Early risers can also enjoy the dawn chorus of songbirds near the Centre. This is at its most powerful in May.
The
Centre is open Tuesday to Sunday from April to October between 10.30 am
and 5 pm. Entrance is free, but there are charges for some activities.