Bird with bizarre (but beautiful) bill spotted at Seven Sisters
Rare birds have been spotted making themselves at home at our improved wetlands this autumn.
In recent months there have been sightings of the spoonbill, ruff and knot – all birds on the Red and Amber Conservation List.
The spoonbill, with its spatula-shaped bill and standing up to 85cm tall, has been a particular highlight for our ranger team as sightings are rare
Seven Sisters Ranger Laura Clapham said:
“It’s a real spectacle to see one of these magnificent spoonbills wading through the water with its huge bill that resembles a wooden spoon.
“They are almost as big as a heron and sweep their bill from side to side in the water to catch aquatic invertebrates.
“They migrate from as far as southern Europe, North Africa and even China, so it’s wonderful to see them making themselves at home in our wetland at Seven Sisters.
“This autumn we’ve seen kestrels, little egrets, corn buntings, stonechats and many more.
“These amazing bird sightings show that our habitat improvements are working!”
It comes as the National Park Authority has invested in improvements to wetlands at Seven Sisters. Two new scrapes, or shallow ponds, have been dug to create muddy feeding habitats for wading birds such as the little egret, dunlin and ringed plover. Ditches around the meanders have been deepened to prevent predators, such as foxes and badgers, from disturbing groundnesting birds like the redshank.
Earlier this year Seven Sisters became part of Britain’s first water-inspired National Nature Reserve as it begins a new chapter with a renewed focus on boosting biodiversity at this special coastal haven.
