WIREDGOV

The ‘boom’ of the male bittern’s mating call has been heard at Natural England’s Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve (NNR) in Kent.

The bittern is one of England’s rarest breeding birds and every male has a distinctive ‘boom’ which acts as a fingerprint for recognising individuals. Visitors to Stodmarsh NNR - an internationally important site for these birds - have been able hear the distinctive ‘boom’ in the early morning and late evening throughout May and June.

In the past week, another bittern has been sighted, possibly a female, raising the possibility that they may have made a breeding attempt on the reserve.

It is rare to hear these scarce birds in the area. In the 1970s there were only 11 ‘booming’ males in the country. Since then, the bird has made a comeback, recovering from the brink of extinction in the UK. Monitoring work* has shown that the current population now exceeds 50 booming males.

Natural England and the Kentish Stour Countryside Project have worked with volunteers to clear scrubby bushes and recreate the reedbeds that are ideal for their return.

“It’s great to hear that the boomers are back and we hope that all the noise has paid off for this male bird” said Dave Feast, Natural England’s site manager at Stodmarsh. “National Nature Reserves are the most fantastic places for wildlife, providing a safe haven and the right habitats for nationally and internationally important species. Stodmarsh is a spotlight NNR, which means it is one of the best places for people to see and learn about nature. We have bird hides, interpretation panels, a nature trail, and we may now have a breeding pair of bitterns.”

Jon Shelton, Project Manager of the Kentish Stour Countryside Project says: “This is brilliant news for Stodmarsh, Kent and the volunteers, including a large French contingent, who have worked on the reserve over the last few winters.”

Bitterns have a camouflaged plumage and if disturbed will point their beaks to the sky and sway to make themselves almost indistinguishable from the reeds they live in. Eels and other freshwater fish are their favourite food, and are found in abundance in the clear waters of the River Stour and the surrounding lakes.

David added: “We’ll be keeping a close eye on the new bittern. If all goes well we may see some baby boomers in the near future.”

For further information and a photo, contact the Natural England press office on 0845 603 9953 or out of hours on 07970 098005.

Notes for editors:

1. Monitoring work* carried out as part of Natural England and RSPB’s Action for Birds in England programme has shown that the current population now exceeds 50 booming males.

2. National Nature Reserves give the public a chance to experience at first hand a wide variety of wildlife. Designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) by Natural England, they are internationally significant and safeguarded under European law.

3. Stodmarsh NNR is situated in the lower regions of the north Kent plain within the Stour valley. The reserve developed when coal mining subsidence formed marshland with large reedbeds, lakes, ditches, meadows and wet woodland. It is an important wildlife site supporting a number of breeding and migrating birds, some of them rare. As well as birds the site is home to many rare plants and insects.

4. Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings. We increase opportunities to make the natural environment an enriching part of people's everyday lives, and improve its long term security by contributing to the sustainable management of our natural resources.

Related Information

http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/nnr/nnr_details.asp?nnr_name=&C=0&Habitat=0&natural_area=&local_team=0&spotlight_reserve=1&X=1&NNR_ID=147