​With still no rain, nor any forecast, water levels have dropped naturally, exposing lots more mud.  Despite good waders turning up at other sites not too far away nothing out of the ordinary has dropped in.  Two more Greenshank appeared on 15th and staying until 17th while the year’s first 2 Ringed Plovers appeared on 12th with another 2 present on 17th.  Little Ringed Plovers continue to display and stake out various areas of the site but, as yet, have not been pinned down to specific nests.

​A Marsh Harrier and a Hobby briefly on 16th were the only other highlights of the past week along with fairly regular visits from a Little Egret.  Sand Martins continue to number around 30 birds with at least 30 holes counted in the workings.  The first Mandarin female appeared on 15th with 6 new ducklings and no doubt we’ll see more in days to come.  Interestingly, at least 10 male Mandarins were found roosting on the pond in Dogsheart Spring copse.  It seems likely these are non-breeding birds (unless they really have left all the work to the females!).

​I recently spoke with a manager from Cemex the quarry operator and their plan is to continue the ‘restoration work’ shortly.  To that end they have installed a pump to remove water from the Deep Pit (on the left as you come in from Coopers Green Lane) and water levels are now falling rapidly.  Temporarily this exposes lots of nice mud but this will dry quickly and make way for the diggers to return.

​The plan is for the diggers to landscape the area leaving just a small kidney-shaped pond in the far left-hand corner.  The rest of the area will be smoothed with topsoil and will presumably be suitable for farming.  This of course is likely to mean the loss of deep water at the site perhaps making it unattractive to the Little Grebes and diving ducks.
 
The increased disturbance will also make it unlikely that Little Ringed Plovers will breed successfully in this area.  Thankfully other areas still remain available however, beyond this section of works, there are plans to drain the Main Pit (on the right as you enter the site from Coopers Green Lane) and continue with topsoil landscaping to restore as much as possible to farmland.
 
The site manager did express his reservations that water would be able to be controlled and fully expects that lakes will re-form after heavy rain.  Various elaborate pumping systems have been explored to take water off-site but no final plan is in place.  As I have mentioned before, trying to fight nature and take vital water off the land seems crazy and my hope is that nature forces the outcome!  When water is such a valuable resource and when flood zones are under increasing pressure it seems ridiculous that money and resources would be spent trying to pump water off-site and away to other systems.
 
Unfortunately, the plans are the product of many parallel thought processes and interests with little to unify them into sensible coherence.  Historic restoration plans do not seem to take into account current realities – such as the excellent habitats created by quarrying – and ecological assessments are species and habitat-obsessed such that the wider ecosystems and natural re-wilding processes are considered free to be sacrificed or ignored in favour of new planting.  Vested interests of landowners and managers that (understandably) seek profit and reward dictate that works are carried out to take advantage of current funding meaning that levelling everything and starting afresh can be the preferred option.
 
Hopefully something good will be left but for now it is best to enjoy it while it lasts!

Two weeks into the year and the Stanborough Gravel Pits year list has climbed to a healthy 60 or so species.  New Year's day saw terrible wet and windy weather and yet a few of the regular species could be found - Green Sandpipers, Stonechats, Wigeon and the a Little Grebe.

The highlight of the day was a lone Golden Plover battling low against the wind and rain.  A larger group of nearly 30 were then seen on 9th with 3 on the field near the model airstrip.  A Marsh Harrier put in an appearance on 6th and a Jack Snipe was flushed on 12th.  An unusual sighting on 13th was an Alexandrine Parakeet flying over the site with the regular flocks of Ring-necked Parakeets.

Freezing conditions gripped the pits in the second week of the year and the main pit froze over save for a small pool.  While wildfowl numbers weren't as high as expected a surprise aspect of the freeze was a big increase in Mute Swans with 26 on 12th.

The first really good bird of the year appeared (albeit distantly) on 16th in the form of a Short-eared Owl.  Not recorded in 2024 it is really pleasing to get one in the first winter period.  It appeared to come up from near Cromer Hyde Farm where owls were present in 2023 but headed off NW gaining height all the time.  Hopefully it won't be the last sighting this year.