Bird breeding season is underway, when birds can be seen carrying nesting material and flitting around collecting beakful’s of insects, ready to feed their young
From the beginning of March activities such as cutting trees, hedgerows and bushes, where birds nest, are curtailed. On the Pebblebed Heaths National Nature Reserve, activities such as swailing and topping the heath are also stopped from March to avoid damaging or destroying bird nests, particularly those that nest on the ground, such as Nightjar and Dartford warbler.
Nightjars, create “scrapes” in the soil, clearing debris to expose bare ground where they lay their eggs. Known for their cryptic camouflage, nightjar chicks and eggs blend seamlessly into the heathland’s gorse and heather. Once more widespread, nightjars have seen population declines, largely due to habitat loss. However, around 80 breeding territories are still found on the Pebblebed Heaths. Reports have just come in that nightjars have returned to Bystock Pools and will soon be heard across the Heaths. Listen out for their eerie, churring call at dusk, as they return from their wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dartford warblers are resident across the Pebblebed Heaths year-round. During breeding season, these typically shy birds become more vocal and are often seen singing from the tops of gorse bushes or flitting between heather tufts. Their nests, built under dense vegetation, are often difficult to spot, but their distinctive scratchy call makes the birds easier to locate. Thanks to conservation efforts, the Dartford warbler population is recovering after a harsh winter in 2018. There are now around 200 territories across the Commons.
How You Can Help
Visitors to the Pebblebed Heaths are urged to take special care to protect these vulnerable species. Whether walking alone or with a dog, please keep “Paws on paths”, as straying off paths and into the heather can inadvertently trample eggs or disturb the birds.
Thank you for supporting wildlife conservation and giving our native birds the space they need to breed successfully.
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