Rare bee-eaters have hatched chicks at quarry
BEE-EATER chicks have hatched at a quarry in East Leake – just the third time this has happened in the UK in a decade.
Seven rare bee-eaters, a spectacularly colourful bird which usually breeds in southern Europe and Africa, turned up unexpectedly at CEMEX’s East Leake quarry on June 25. Three nest holes have been seen in the quarry’s sandy bank.
On Wednesday afternoon last week RSPB wardens watching the nests noticed parent birds flying to and from one of the nest holes with food, indicating that young were being fed. The other two nests are now also on the verge of hatching and the RSPB expects all three will have young by the weekend.
Bee-eaters are rare visitors to the UK. Before the Millennium they had only appeared twice, but have since nested in Cumbria (2015), the Isle of Wight (2014), Herefordshire (2005) and Country Durham (2002). It is thought they are expanding their range north due to climate change.
Mark Thomas, RSPB senior investigations officer, said: “These exotic birds – a kaleidoscope of greens, yellows, reds and blues – are much more likely to be seen in southern Europe or Africa rather than Nottinghamshire. But we’re delighted to see bee-eaters return to nest in the UK once more; a very rare occurrence that has wildlife enthusiasts very excited.”
Around 10,000 people are thought to have seen the Nottinghamshire bee-eaters, some travelling from as far afield as Cornwall and County Durham.
As their name suggests, beeeaters feed predominately on bees and other flying insects like wasps and dragonflies. After catching a bee, the birds will toss it into the air or strike the bee against a branch to remove the string, rendering it safe to swallow.
Bee-eaters and nest in burrows that reach up to 10ft (3m) often in sand banks, in which they lay 3-8 white eggs.
Andy Spencer, sustainability director at CEMEX, said: “Working quarries like this one offer the perfect home for beeeaters and other birds like sand martins. On CEMEX quarry sites we build dedicated sand piles away from the operations where birds can make their nests and breed without interruption.”
Because the birds are so rare, round-the-clock protection was necessary to ensure the birds and their nests were not disturbed. Working closely with CEMEX, the RSPB deployed wardens to monitor the site day and night to ensure the safety of both birds and birdwatchers.
To visit the bee-eaters, go to Ashby Road, East Leake, Notts LE12 6RG. For more details visit https://www.rspb.org.uk/ community/ ourwork/ b/ biodiversity/archive/2017/06/26/ how-to- see- bee- eaters- innottinghamshire.aspx