Spring means battle of the song hotting up on coast
TWO of the most familiar tracks on the Sefton Coast playlist always raise questions each year. The Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler are regular summer migrants that generally winter in Africa and usually herald their return with very distinctive songs at the start of April.
A changing climate means the Chiffchaff is wintering with us in larger and larger numbers each year because of milder conditions, but the Willow Warbler is still a stone-cold migrant, crossing the Sahara to sing from exposed perches in the dunes from Hall Road to Southport.
Although they might look superficially similar, their songs are strikingly different.
The Willow Warbler’s song is a beautiful descending cadence, an apple fresh tune for spring, in stark contrast to the Chiffchaff, which has a slightly monotonous “zilp-zalp-zilp-zalp”refrain.
This spring I encountered my earliest ever Willow Warbler, singing at Marshside RSPB reserve at dawn on March 24, but cold conditions after this meant an early spring did not materialize.
The tougher, shorter-winged, tail-pumping Chiffchaff however was not troubled by such trifles as low temperatures and northerly winds.
Its song could be heard anywhere with trees from Bootle to Southport, from midMarch, which made me wonder if they are slowly usurping the more northerly breeding Willow Warbler.
Is a subtle turf war between two of our most distinctive songsters being fought out in the dunes, in parks and gardens?
It often comes as a surprise to many that while these two species, members of the phylloscopus family of warblers, sing from high exposed branches, they are both ground-nesters.
As such they are very vulnerable to disturbance, especially in the dune system, so if you are planning to visit the coast, please bear this in mind.
If we want to enjoy the songs of these engaging migrants for generations to come, please keep dogs under control and stick to paths - a dog bounding through dune vegetation may be having fun but could be causing untold damage to breeding birds.
For those wanting to find out more about the rich birdlife of the region, it is pleasing to see the return of the Southport RSPB Group after a two year break.
The group will be soon be returning to its old “home” at Lord St West United Church, Southport for regular meetings.
They will be holding meetings on Friday, April 22 and Friday, May 20, before breaking up for the summer. Meetings all start at 7.45pm.
The meetings consist of illustrated talks by visiting speakers.
During the interval there are display boards and merchandise to look at and details are given about the monthly field trips to various nature reserves.
This isn’t just about birds, it’s about meeting up with like-minded people for a night out and a good natter!
You don’t need to be an expert on birds but it helps if you like them and want to learn about them and the environments they inhabit.
It’s a cheap night out! Members pay £3 (Juniors 50p). Non-members pay £4.
Membership is only £5 each or £7 for a family membership.
Junior membership is free.
For details please contact the Membership Secretary Ian Wright on 01704 226160, Group Leader Mike Booth on 0758 1016914 or look for the website or Facebook page.
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John works for Green Sefton, the Sefton Council service that brings together the coast & countryside, parks & green spaces, flooding & coastal erosion, risk management and grounds maintenance teams for a joined-up approach to the vital management, development and oversight of Sefton’s beautiful coastline, parks and green spaces. This column looks at the flora, fauna and history of the coastline, and the work carried out to protect it.