As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Friday, 5 October 2012

Record numbers of birds used Britain’s wetlands during severe 2010/11 winter



Waterbirds in England respond to cold winter 
October 2012. Latest counts collected by Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) volunteers show the internationally important numbers of wildfowl and waders that use English wetlands in winter.

Severe winter of 2010/11
The severe conditions experienced in the 2010/11 winter, described in the latest Waterbirds in the UK report, show that wetlands in the UK can be especially important during harsh winters. During such winters, sites both inland and on the coast act as a refuge for birds forced out of frozen continental Europe. 

Top 5 sites contained 1.2 million waterfowl and waders
At the five most important sites (The Wash, Ribble Estuary, Morecambe Bay, North Norfolk Coast, and Thames Estuary), WeBS volunteers counted 1.2 million wildfowl and waders. These numbers indicate how important it is that these coastal areas and others receive suitable protection and that the important waterbird communities continue to be monitored effectively.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/winter-wetlands.html

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