Rare black-crowned night herons breed for the first time in the UK

A PAIR of extremely rare birds have bred in the UK for the first time, conservationists have revealed.
PUBLISHED: 00:01, Wed, Aug 2, 2017 | UPDATED: 16:37, Wed, Aug 2, 2017

Two adult black-crowned night herons and two recently fledged juveniles are now roosting at a nature reserve in Somerset.

The discovery was made by bird watchers at the Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Westhay Moor national nature reserve and Graham Hall was able to photograph the night herons.

It is thought the adults either bred there or at the nearby Avalon Marshes site.

Experts said night herons were extremely rare in the south of England and only around a dozen had been spotted in Somerset since the 1800s.

Continued

Great crested grebes nest on the Isle of Wight

Water dancing bird pairs up for the first time on RSPB reserve in Brading Marshes.

It is the bird that was almost hunted to extinction and was the inspiration for the founding of the RSPB in 1889. The great crested grebe, which was culled for its feathers to make hats in Victorian times, has started breeding on the Isle of Wight for the first time.

It has been a good year so far for new birds breeding on the Brading Marshes reserve, with Little Egrets and Marsh Harriers also nesting for the first time on the island this year.

Keith Ballard, site manager at Brading Marshes said,

“We recorded great crested grebes a few times this winter, and a couple of weeks ago I noticed there was a pair of them.

“They were doing some courtship and displaying.

“The great crested grebe does an amazing courtship display where they appear to dance on water. It is really spectacular if you can get to see it.

“Last week, one of our volunteers reported that the pair were together and had built a nest.”

Rarely seen on the Isle of Wight

- See more at: 

Spectacular marsh harriers nesting at nature reserve for first time

THEY are some of the most spectacular birds to watch in the country and now they are breeding at an East Yorkshire nature reserve for the first time.

Marsh harriers have been nesting at Yorkshire Water's Tophill Low reserve, near Driffield, to the delight of staff and volunteers.

Indeed, wildlife is thriving at the reserve, with only the second pair of Cetti's warblers found breeding onsite and otters bringing up a family close to the reservoir.

The exciting additions to the site's varied wildlife have been put down to the careful management of habitats at the site, which means they appeal to the rare birds and animals.

Read more:

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Rare-breeders-thriving-reserve/story-19418821-detail/story.html#ixzz2XbV8Fb7p

eders-thriving-reserve/story-19418821-detail/story.html#ixzz2XbV1EtKn