Where Have All The Ducks Gone?

[Timbo]

One of the things that my passion for the Norfolk Broads kindled is an interest in birds...water birds. Being a country boy and working in the field of landscape management, I do pay attention to what is going on in the landscape around me. Anyone that knows me will know that when I get interested in something I tend to start poking around in both the countryside and any research data I can lay my hands on. It's called going the full 'Timbo'. A bit like going completely 'bursar' but may involve getting dragged out of ditches and mounds of paper.

 

The lack of duck and waterbirds in general, not just around The Broads but in sites around Lincolnshire too, was something I've noticed more and more over the past ten years. There has also been a quite radical shift in the make up of the wildfowl and waterbird populations. Species once numerous seem to have been replaced with others once considered a rarity.

 

Figures on bird populations and trends supplied by the RSPB, as usual, were contradictory the correlation between their latest fund raising and building projects blatantly obvious. Their data contribution to the official figures of the UK Government also skewed the 'official national' counts and trends. All of these figure were in stark contrast to what I was witnessing first hand in the field. There was a greater correlation between my first hand observations and the records of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).


BTO records show that Mallard numbers, particularly, are down by 30% over the last twenty-five years and 12% over the last ten years. Coots are down 7% over the last twenty-five years and drastic reduction of 20% over the last ten years. Moorhen were not recorded long term but there has been a 26% reduction over the last ten years and my favourite bird the Great Crested Grebe has seen a 3% drop in numbers over twenty-five years and 15% drop over the last ten years. Even the humble lapwing has seen a significant drop in numbers of 34% over twenty-five years and 20% over ten years. Swan numbers are up with the exception of the Bewick, goose numbers are up. Meanwhile the 'poster boys' of the bird world have seen numbers grow. For example Avocet numbers are up 324% over twenty-five years and are up 24% over the last ten and of course predator numbers are escalating. Something is going on without a doubt!

My own conclusions are that the decline in populations is indeed 'man made', but not necessarily how many would imagine. I put it down to three occurrences.

Climate
Many of our wetland species are migratory and the recorded changes in climate correlate directly to the location of wintering migratory birds. To put it simply, it ain't cold enough at home to warrant the birds flying somewhere warmer. The birds are staying put in their winter breeding locations.

Predator Numbers
There is a dramatic increase in the number of predator species. Not just otter and other mammals but also birds. Owls, hawks and harriers are prolific. On any given day I can count over ten buzzards circling above my shed. It's like being in some damned cowboy film some days!

Altered Behaviour

The idiotic campaign to stop feeding bread to ducks, financed by a bird feed manufacturer, so that people buy 'duck food' has altered the behaviour of the most numerous of mammals, the human. With the aid of social media, this marketing claptrap has taken such a hold that organizations such as the Canal and River Trust advocate this gubbage despite wildfowl protection organizations and the Veterinary Surgeon General refuting it. People are not feeding 'the ducks' any more. The last time Gracie was on The Broads she was feeding bread to the ducks and the inevitable 'you shouldn't be feeding bread to ducks' wazzock surfaced to spoil the occasion. Children present, I limited yet expanded my response from my usual two words to 'if I want your opinion I will give it to you'.

If you wish to see wildfowl and waterbirds in anywhere near the numbers that we used to, don't go looking in the relief channels and overflows. I wouldn't waste time on the nature reserves. I would, however visit the one or two spots where people are specifically feeding the birds. There's a chap in Stalham that feeds by the bucket, and there are mallard and coot in numbers. Better still, start feeding the ducks again yourself.

[marshman]

Mink ARE controlled by the BA as far as is possible - a number of volunteers check the mink rafts regularly and if evidence is found, they will try and trap them. Particularly on the Northern Broads, although they are around, they are not common.

And CC, there is no "consensus" that otters are a huge problem, only amongst those who are making "educated" guesses. Otter populations on the Broads are remarkably stable as they have territories and who betide other otters encroaching. The Broads are "full" of otters and have been for for at least 15 yrs - yes you might "see" more but that does not mean that there are necessarily more of them!! They may be more visible but perhaps that is because they have learnt that humans do them no harm? Phillip Wayre stopped releasing well before he sadly died as he confirmed he was unable to release more as ,locally, all territories  were up to their natural level. There are still places in the UK that do not have otter populations - let them get filled up first before we start talking about culling them. ( That will never happen - if you cannot kill badgers, there is no chance otters will be on the list! )

Ducks - anyone here know where the ducks go this time of year? You might just as well ask where do all the goldfinches, green finches and chaffinches that frequent my garden go as well? Well its something to do with what happens to every bird after the breeding season - they go into moult so they can regrow their plumage for the winter and at the same time recover from the rigours of bringing a family up!! When they feel better they will be out again!!! Same as my garden will be full again!!

Note to Mods - can you please store this message to ensure I don't have to keep repeating myself every year!! 

[Poppy]

13 hours ago, riverman said:

Just my opinion (and most people who also work on the broads), Otters. I'm often near plenty of soak dykes and I very rarely see many waterfowl on them outside of Swans. You hardly see a Coot or a Moorhen, and I regularly watch ducklings seemingly disappear day by day. However I see plenty of Otters, which considering there place in the food chain, concerns me. Surely seeing them should be a rarity? I would also argue to a lesser extent, Egyptian Geese. An unnecessarily aggressive bird which I've watched attack many a small duckling.

Could we have a 'yawn' emoticon please ?

[marshman]

Just read Timbos post and very largely its true - how could I argue???

Climate change is IMHO is the one having  a huge impact - why would coots fly here here in the winter from places such as the Low Countries when it no longer freezes over there? What happened the Dutch skaters? Most skates now hang up in their garden sheds!! However just check the new birds we now count as residents which we never once had - almost too numerous to mention. They must like it here for a reason!

Moorhens seem to have moved to farm ponds! Every time I go for a walk and see a pond, you can almost guarantee seeing moorhens - not sure why that is though. Perhaps they are becoming more shy but strangely, I did see at least 3 on the rivers and around yesterday whilst out. Great Crested Grebes -  I think these have been a huge "success" - in my youth around 60/70 years ago, you hardly ever saw one on the Broads. Now they are everywhere and local hotspots seem to be Black Horse Broad and S Walsham Inner Broad  - must have been 10/15 last time I bothered to count.

[BroadAmbition]

The idiotic campaign to stop feeding bread to ducks, financed by a bird feed manufacturer, so that people buy 'duck food' has altered the behaviour of the most numerous of mammals, the human. With the aid of social media, this marketing claptrap has taken such a hold that organizations such as the Canal and River Trust advocate this gubbage despite wildfowl protection organizations and the Veterinary Surgeon General refuting it. People are not feeding 'the ducks' any more. The last time Gracie was on The Broads she was feeding bread to the ducks and the inevitable 'you shouldn't be feeding bread to ducks' wazzock surfaced to spoil the occasion. Children present, I limited yet expanded my response from my usual two words to 'if I want your opinion I will give it to you'.

 

 

 

Agree with that lot 100%  Well said

Griff

[grendel]

1 hour ago, Timbo said:

On any given day I can count over ten buzzards circling above my shed

Are they waiting for the next Timbo accident.

[ChrisB]

Both types of Black Back Gull also predate chicks and eggs.

Just been reminded as I have just been looking at Blakeney Wildfowlers pond.

They have had a bad breeding season due to Black Backs

[Bytheriver]

40 Mallard resting on the bridge mooring pontoon opposite the Lord Nelson Reedham this morning with a few gulls.

Are there less non- breeding Swans hanging round Wroxham Bridge this year - I wonder if the lack of visitors feeding them in early summer sent them to their "proper" feeding grounds?

[Vaughan]

6 hours ago, marshman said:

Now they are everywhere and local hotspots seem to be Black Horse Broad and S Walsham Inner Broad

Not to forget Rockland Broad.  I very much agree that the Grebe were very rare when I was a boy.  In fact the first time I ever saw their famous mating display was on the Thames, many years later.  Nowadays their display is a common sight, if you clamber out of your bunk early in the morning.

So why are they surviving the otter threat, but others are not? Does it mean that greatly improved water quality gives them more small fish to feed from?

[BroadAmbition]

Most of the ducks that live amongst Broads lovers are Quackers imho

Griff

[Wussername]

Perhaps, just perhaps, one should look at the wind turbines that surround our coast. Migratory birds have to combat the vortex of these massive machines. Indeed the real possibility of hitting the whirling blades.

Is it a coincidence that all bird numbers have decreased since the wind turbines introduction.

Google RSPB on this matter. They promote the benefits of renewable energy, applaude the benefits of this seemingly  panacea of our energy requirements.

But at what cost to their core, defined cause, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. 

Andrew.

 

[JennyMorgan]

10 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

Why is the American mink not removed as a non indigenous species?

Both the Norfolk & Suffolk wildlife trusts are trapping them on their reserves.

[riverman]

7 hours ago, Bytheriver said:

40 Mallard resting on the bridge mooring pontoon opposite the Lord Nelson Reedham this morning with a few gulls.

Are there less non- breeding Swans hanging round Wroxham Bridge this year - I wonder if the lack of visitors feeding them in early summer sent them to their "proper" feeding grounds?

Complete tangent but it always amuses me so il tell the atory. When we re-vamped Granary Staithe at Hoveton by the bridge a few years ago, for safety reasons we had it completely fenced off. The first morning the fence was erected I met a woman standing at the fence with a feed sack looking quite lost, she was very concerned as to what was going on as apparently she drove from Acle most mornings to feed the wildfowl on there. The look of unbridled terror on her face when I told her the fence was for rounding up the Swans before the cull took place was priceless. 

I did feel a little bad, but that soon disappeared when I had to start work on the fecal matter covered piling. 

[Polly]

Road safety should be on the duck agenda in Kent. 
On Weds I carefully overtook a family of ducks having a walk along the lane. On Thursday the same family were having a nice sit down on the same lane with a car patiently waiting for me to go by so that s/he could pull out and pass them. 
Given that they were numerous and well grown, the frequent and fast traffic on that lane must also be commendably observant.😀 🦆 

[Fisherman65]

On 04/09/2020 at 03:40, batrabill said:

Where is the evidence that this is true ??

Talk about mans interference you want otters culled,what next pike,hen harriers,marsh harriers,herons, they all take ducks or ducklings it’s natural predation and will all level out over time without man interfering .

[Bytheriver]

Reedham Quay this morning (on the right side of the river today! Counted 38

[HMS]

Same problem here in Yorkshire. Our caravan park was like a nature reserve with lots of coots moorhens and ducks plus swans herons and kingfishers. Always fifty or 60 ducks by July. This year maximum of 13!

 o coots at all and a mere2 moorhens.

We have had otter sightings and fishermen reporting less catches.

Have suspected crows also which alone seem to be increasing in numbers.

Can we do anything to improve things?

[Vaughan]

14 hours ago, HMS said:

Can we do anything to improve things?

I think there's an obvious solution, but not as long as the otters remain totally protected by "Those who know better".   

[Poppy]

We have just returned from a break in Dorset. There were ducks in abundance, and otters were there too. Plenty, according to locals.