The phragmites reed can grow up to 4m in height, has
feathery purple flower spikes in summer which later produce abundant seeds in
the autumn. These attract some rarer seed-eating migrant birds such as
Whinchat, Aquatic Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler, as well as providing food
for residents like Reed Bunting and Bearded Reedling. The latter is a
spectacular small bird which is tied to reed beds all year round, nesting there
and eating insects in the summer then feeding on the seeds in winter. Other summer
nesters are the migrant Reed Warbler which prefers the dense centre of the bed
and Sedge Warbler which breeds around the edges.
Reedbeds hide some very secretive wading birds,
particularly in winter when large numbers of Snipe and Water Rail arrive from
eastern Europe to take advantage of our milder climate. The cryptically camouflaged
Bittern also winters here and much work has been done in the last 25 years to
establish larger reed beds where they can breed, particularly in East Anglia
and Somerset.
Small birds attract predators and in recent years there
has been a welcome increase in Marsh Harriers which now breed in small numbers
in Dorset and Hampshire. The habitat at the edge of reed beds is ideal for
dabbling ducks such as Teal and Shoveler, and for small fish which in turn
attract Herons and even Spoonbills and Common Cranes.
In winter Starlings take advantage of the safer and
warmer conditions they find within reed beds in order to roost. Before doing so
they often gather in large numbers, overflying and whirling around in
substantial murmurations before plunging down into the reeds for the night.
Lymington reed beds attract about 5000 birds but in Somerset there are
gatherings of up to one million individuals.
Much of the knowledge gained about the bird life within
reed beds comes from licensed bird ringers. Some larger birds are given
distinctive and uniquely identified colour rings and Graham urged us to make a
note of these when we see them and report them back to the ringers to add to
the data being gathered.
Graham’s presentation was a detailed insight to a habitat
that we may previously have regarded as unimportant. His knowledge and
enthusiasm provided us with a fascinating evening, a high benchmark to start
off our winter season.