Smelly birding

Countless, cloud-like swarms of martins and swallows swoop, turn and dive and over dark waters.  The local sparrow hawk glides silently overhead, checking out her chances amongst the dancing flock.  corvids squabble and scuffle over the best perches, while pied and grey wagtails march at ground level, in a seemingly never-ending hunt for insects.  What an idyllic spot for a spot of bird watching...

...at our local sewage works!

prime spot!

Here in Warwick, there are very few sites for quality birding and even fewer with contained, still water to attract wildlife.  So, the water treatment plant on the Stratford Road has become one of the team's regular locations to visit, to attempt to spot potential additions to our list.  It appears we are not the only ones to hold our noses in hope. 

Bird species seen across UK sewage works make for impressive reading over the years - dipper, glossy ibis, breeding green sandpipers and Siberian chiffchaff to name a few.  Beckton Sewage treatment works, East London, has clocked up 148 species including curlew, dunlin and Caspian gull, along with records of grass snakes and bank voles.  Northumbrian Water have planted reed beds at Birtley water treatment plant, attracting bittern, gadwall and jack snipe.  A 'Waste to Warblers' tour of the site was even offered back in 2016.  Swindon, Salford and Bicester have all also turned their sites into mini nature reserves to balance human need with protecting biodiversity.  Brilliant!

So, why do these manmade and rather smelly locations draw so many birds?  Well, the percolating filter beds in sewage treatment works have high macroinvertebrate densities, don't you know... (in other words, the water is full of oxygen and nutrients, so has lots of bugs in it that are big enough to see with the naked eye).  Fly larvae hatches, providing aerial food for birds (and bats, according to other studies) and providing plenty of opportunity for a healthy food chain.  As Tom Stephenson, US birder and author, puts it so concisely,  'Water, heat and fertilizer...what more could you ask for?'

Breakfast for hirundines...? 

So, we will continue to visit our little sewage treatment works; holding our noses, enjoying the regulars, hoping for rarities.  You never know what might turn up...

Lizzy

A shameless plug for one of our team members...

Rick is a solid, long-term member of the Warwick 100 team; regularly found walking in the area, especially in his beloved St Nicholas' Park.    His contributions to our list so far this year have included Cetti's warbler, little egret and our first sand martins and willow warblers of Spring.  But, when not finding us new birds, Rick is busy writing - and publishing - his wonderful words.

Park Life: A Year in the Wildlife of an Urban Park

Rick's first book, published in 2020, diarises a year in his local park, where he spends time watching and listening for everything that nature has to give - from birds and insects to trees and flowers.  This is not just a collection of wildlife records, however.  Instead, each chapter is an endearing medley of musings,  nuggets of knowledge and some beautiful poetry and quotes from the past.  The icing on the cake is Rick's own hand-drawn illustrations, nicely dotted amongst the pages.  

Rick's book proves just how much nature there is around, even in an urban park in the Midlands, if we can just choose to slow down and really look at the world.

A River Avon Year

Recently, Rick published his second book.  Set a little further afield, he follows the Shakespeare's Avon Way from its source, in Naseby, to where is converges with the River Severn, in Tewkesbury.  An 88 mile journey, Rick walked it in sections over a twelve month period, enjoying the changing seasons and scenery as he makes his way through the towns and villages that line the river.

Reading the book, it feels as though I'm actually there, strolling with Rick.  His writing is much like the river itself - thoughts and wonderings meandering across the pages just as the Avon winds through the countryside with gentle, unrushed purpose.  Along with Rick's trademark cocktail of wildlife sightings, historical stories and anecdotes, reading the book makes for an enjoyable few hours' escape from a busy world.

So there we go - a published author in our team.  

If you'd like to get hold of one (or both) of his books, here are the links to Amazon.  

https://amzn.eu/d/h0FD3vm

https://amzn.eu/d/6F9rESq

Although, even better would be to shop local, as the books are stocked at Warwick Books, Warwick Visitor Centre, Kenilworth Books, Brandon Marsh and other local outlets along the Avon Valley.

Rick can also be found giving talks at Warwick Words, signing his books around the town and is an active member of the Warwick Natural History Society and the Town Council volunteers.  We do hope the fame and success of Rick's books doesn't go too much to his head...we still need him spotting new birds for the Warwick 100 list!