Hello, my name is Nathanael Wilson and I’m taking part in the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award. For my 6-month long skill I chose Ornithology. It is a region of biology that I had no quantifiable knowledge of so I felt that this made it perfect for the section; I would be able to demonstrate an expansion of ornithological knowledge quite simply, as I had none beforehand. The project that I chose to take part in was thus: on alternating weeks I ventured to Ramsey Heights nature reserve and conducted a bird survey, recording all the species that I could identify through sight and sound (as well as a handy app called Merlin). In between these fieldwork weeks, I selected two species of bird that had been observed at the reserve to create an essay about. These essays, alongside the survey, were created/conducted for the Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs and Northants. In the essays I aimed to detail the birds' habitats, identification and conservation while improving my general knowledge. In the on-site work I completed a bird survey that spans multiple seasons, giving an insight into the species at the reserve.

The Bird Survey

I began my survey at the end of October and finished mid-way through April, observing both winter and spring species. Every two weeks I arrived at 11am and spent one hour recording the data. I focussed simply on whether the species was heard/seen, rather than on quantity of individuals. Numbers were low to begin with, recording just 8 different species in October - a variety of tits, robin and blackbird, plus corvids and red kite. I quickly hit double figures in November, with highlights such as white wagtail, coal tit and fieldfare making more than one appearance. In December I recorded my first goldcrest, not appearing again until March. And in January I saw my first but only Jay, the most colourful member of the crow family.

As we headed into 2024, I was regularly able to record over 20 different bird species in one hour. The song thrush's repeating calls were heard most weeks, moorhens and mallards were appearing on the ponds, and buzzards were often circling overhead. Jackdaws were omnipresent, as were great tits. And I got well used to the songs of blackbirds, robins and the chirp of blue and long-tailed tits, all being regular sightings. 

In total, I recorded the sight or sound of 45 different birds using the Ramsey Heights nature reserve to rest, roost or feed. I certainly believe I've improved both my bird spotting and birdsong identification skills, with or without the aid of technology!

Introducing the Treecreeper

After the Merlin app identified its distinctive call during my second week at Ramsey Heights, I decided to look more deeply into the treecreeper. This was in part fuelled by personal bias – the treecreeper has been a favourite species of mine for years now – and in part by the fact that I felt it was a lucky occurrence to hear one, Ramsey being in a region of the country (Fenland) not as often frequented by this species as the rest of the UK.

Identification

The Eurasian treecreeper is 12.5cm long and has a wingspan of 18–21cm. They weigh in at around 10g. Treecreepers can be easily identified through their undulating flight, spiralling feeding patterns and overall diminutive and almost mouse-like appearance. There is little sexual dimorphism in the species, with males and females being very similar. This is also true for the various other species of treecreeper, making identification between species a rather troublesome task. Both adults and juveniles have densely streaked dark brown upperparts with silvery underparts often stained from prolonged contact with tree bark. They have off-white eye-stripes over darker cheeks, a prominent downwards curving bill and broad zigzag barring on their wings. The best time of year to observe a treecreeper is during the winter months, as the leaves will have fallen from all deciduous trees, leaving them more exposed. Treecreepers can, however, be more easily identified by their distinctive call. The treecreepers call is a thin and shrill ‘tseeurt’, and the song is composed of a descending series of high-pitched notes ending in a trill or flourish.

Habitat

The treecreeper lives in temperate deciduous woodland, or conifer depending on the book. However, one thing that all sources agree on is that it lives in regions across Europe and Asia in woodland environments. I think this, quite obviously, is what gives the bird its name. The treecreeper does not have any major migration in terms of annual movement but does have small local migration due to its distinctive feeding patterns. It eats insects, grubs and larvae it can work out of tree bark with its long, curved bill. The treecreeper flies from the top of one tree down to the base of another, before spiralling its way up the trunk, probing for food as it goes. This technique is then repeated, leading to local movements, generally with a small range, the largest recorded being 20km. They are almost exclusively insectivorous, so will only be found at bird tables during the winter months when it is harder to find food. Treecreepers are often common, but sparsely distributed and seldom seen.

Nesting Habits

Treecreepers are a monogamous species, meaning that they form breeding pairs of a single male and female. During their March-July breeding season, treecreepers lay clutches of 5–6 eggs in a nest woven from grass, moss and spider webs. This nest is wedged into notches and crevasses in the tree bark, protecting and securing it. The chicks fledge at around 15 days but will still rely on their parents for food for a short time longer. The average lifespan of this little bird is two years, and their population peaked in 1970. Since 1980 their population has remained stable across Europe.

Introducing the Cormorant

After I was startled by a cormorant bursting from the ditch next to me in the sixth week of my survey, I instantly decided that it would be the subject of my next essay. This was in no small part due to my mother – the cormorant is her favourite species of bird – but I also felt that despite my mother's constant talking about how incredible they were, I had never actually taken it upon myself to research them before.

Identification

The cormorant is a generalist piscivorous (fish-eating) bird of the family Phalacrocoracidae, with a length of 80 - 100cm and a wingspan of 1.3 - 1.6m. Their smaller wingspan compared to their size means that they have to make a greater effort to fly as opposed to other birds, and it is actually easier for them to swim as their wing size makes them fast and manoeuvrable in the water. They normally weigh at around 2-2.5kg. Cormorants can be differentiated from their relatives the shags by their lack of a steep forehead and noticeable crest, and by their thicker bills. They are unmistakeable in summer when their white facial colouration is pronounced and they sport long, pale head plumes. Cormorant plumage is duller in winter, but they can be easily identified by their behaviour of perching with wings half-open and an upright neck. Cormorants are usually quiet birds, but they will growl and cackle when they are near their nests.

Habitat

Cormorants flock together, and breed widely throughout Europe. Their preferred habitats are sheltered estuaries and bays along the coast, but cormorants also breed on cliffs, inland, near floodplains and reservoirs and even small pools. They are commonly found flocking near harbours and marinas.

Cormorants have a secure conservation status, but are not welcomed by everybody. Many small commercial fishermen feel threatened by the cormorant's inland expansion.

Cormorants are generalist hunters who are not forced to search for food at sea. They will take their diet of small fish, water snakes and eels from any water that they can find, be it fresh or brackish. They make a long dive underwater from the surface, swallowing smaller prey beneath the water and dragging larger morsels back up with them where they are then consumed. Cormorants can dive to depths of 40 metres in search of food. Being unable to excrete oil to totally waterproof their feathers, they must spend time with their wings outstretched in the sun in order to dry their feathers. Cormorants have long inner wings with an obvious backwards-facing ‘elbow’ close to the body. They have broad webbing across all four toes, while wildfowl only have webbing across three.

Nesting Habits

The cormorant's breeding season is April-May. The nest consists of a bulk of sticks wedged into a tree or positioned on cliff ledges. These nests may contain 3 or 4 chalky-blue eggs in a brood. They are seen in the UK year-round, and can live for 15-20 years.

In conclusion, I feel that I learnt a great deal regarding ornithology while researching the treecreeper and cormorant. My favouritism towards the treecreeper has not diminished, and instead has grown as I discovered more details regarding their lives. I hope to see this bird many times again in the future and that you are encouraged to learn more about the birds of the Great Fen too. 

Communities and Education Officer, Laura Allen, said "We're delighted that Nathanael chose to undertake the volunteering part of his DofE award in the Great Fen and that he's learned so much about our local wildlife in the process. Records like these offer really useful insight into the species using the nature reserve. Nathanael is a valued member of the Youth Rangers of the Fens, regularly joining us at reserves across Cambridgeshire to learn practical conservation skills that we hope he'll make use of in any future career too. We welcome interest from any young people who'd also like to join the team." 

To learn more about the Youth Rangers of the Fens contact Laura on laura.allen@wildlifebcn.org.