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Rare birds such as bitterns and aquatic warblers are set to benefit from a
£17,000 grant to the RSPB’s Marazion Marsh nature reserve.
The conservation charity has been given the money by SITA Trust, through the
Landfill Tax Communities Fund, to help it carry out work to re-open
stretches of water that have been overgrown by invasive reeds.
RSPB Cornwall site manager, Dave Flumm, said: 'Because many birds have
specific needs, we have to manage the nature reserve to give them what they
require and this takes a lot of time and money.'
Birds like bitterns need large areas of reedbed with a network of dykes and
ditches, good quality water and lots of fish. To keep these conditions staff
at the RSPB nature reserve must remove the annual build up of reed ‘litter’
and maintain water levels and fish populations.
Dave added: 'Aquatic warblers use the reedbeds somewhat differently for
overnight roosting but they also need shallow areas of water and marsh
vegetation to feed in the daytime.'
The stark difference between bitterns and aquatic warblers emphasises the
value of reedbed systems and its associated vegetation for a variety of
wildlife.
Bitterns are secretive heron-like birds that mainly visit the UK in the
winter. Some birds do breed here, mainly at sites in Lancashire and East
Anglia, but their numbers are still very low compared to previous years. |
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Aquatic warblers are a globally threatened species, at risk from
agricultural drainage and intensification in its breeding areas in Eastern
Europe. The sparrow-size, stripy brown birds are rare autumn visitors to the
UK but Marazion Marsh is one of the top sites in the country to see them.
'Thanks to the SITA grant we’ll now be able to bring in specialised
reed-cutting equipment on floating pontoons to open up the pools which we
wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach. We will also be able to appoint
contractors to cut back the invasive willow scrub which is choking some of
the drier areas of reedbed,' said Dave.
'This will ensure Marazion Marsh stays the wetland of pristine importance
for which it is justly proud.' |
