heliastes21's Journal

The water vole population in the U.K. has fallen from its estimated pre-1960 level of around 8 million to 2.3 million in 1990 and to 354,000 in 1998. This represents a 90–95% loss. It is still declining dramatically: the most recent estimate is around 220,000. This decline is partly attributed to the American mink, an aggressive predator of the vole, together with unsympathetic farming and watercourse management which destroyed parts of the water vole's habitat.

The water vole is the U.K.'s fastest declining mammal and efforts are under way to protect it and its habitat from further destruction. When I was a child (40 years ago) they were relatively common in the canals of Leicestershire, yet they are now seldom seen. East Anglia is an important national stronghold for the water vole. I have had fleeting views at a number of sites in Norfolk and Suffolk, however it is only on this trip to Minsmere (Suffolk) in September 2023, that I managed to get a photo to submit to iNaturalist.

Once common in wetlands, bitterns became extinct as breeding birds in the UK in the late 19th century, as a result of wetland drainage, excessive egg collecting and hunting. Somewhat against the odds, bitterns returned under their own steam as breeding birds and were next recorded as breeding in Norfolk in 1911. They slowly recolonised from there and by 1954 there were around 80 booming males found mostly in the Norfolk Broads. It seems the increase was helped by the flooding and abandonment of low-lying coastal land during World War II to defend against a German invasion. This allowed both reedbeds and bitterns to return.

With a big push from far-sighted conservationists the bittern has enjoyed a remarkable comeback. The latest counts by the RSPB and Natural England clocked up 228 calling males at 103 sites nationwide in 2022. I have often seen them at RSPB Minsmere in Suffolk (although only very fleeting or obscured views), but also occasionally at Rutland Water and even Whitlingham Broad, Norwich. I have heard their characteristic ‘booming’ call at other sites including RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, NWT Hickling Broad and NWT Cley Marshes in Norfolk.