Shingle
spit  |
Formerly a secret military test site, Orford Ness Nature Reserve is the
largest vegetated shingle spit in Europe. There are a wide range
of habitats here including saltmarsh, mudflats, brackish lagoons, reedbeds and
grazing marsh. | | The
shingle spit at Orford Ness |
Orford's rich environments
are home to an array of different species of birds, plants and animals, all of
which make it a great place to visit for thousands of wildlife-watchers every
year.
Bird haven  There
are several types of birds to be found here, but most often spotted are the Redshank,
Lapwing and Meadow Pipit.
The Redshank is a wading bird with a grey-brown
plumage, long, red legs and a longish, straight bill which it uses for digging
small molluscs and crustaceans out of coastal salt marshes Lapwings, so-called
because of their wavering flight, are small black and white birds with a distinctive
crest. They're also nicknamed the "pewit" which imitates their
whimsical call. And it's not surprising the Meadow Pipit, a small brown
bird with a squeaky trilling call, is often found here. This bird likes
open country with plentiful vegetation, particularly coastal marshes, lake shores
and flood meadows. Plants and flowers  A
native species of Britain, false oat grass is so-called due to its tall, waving
appearance and is abundant in grassland areas where it grows all year round.
Unlike
false oat grass, the Yellow-horned Poppy, a staple of shingle beaches, only flowers
during the summer months and is hard to spot in winter. The same goes for
the Sea Campion, which grows on shingle and displays white flowers with overlapping
petal between June and August. Lastly, the rare and protected Sea Pea only
"flowers" between late May and July when a pod containing five to eight
peas is visible. These are dispersed mainly by sea and may remain the water
for up to five years before they are no longer viable. Sadly this species
is declining due to the rise of sea defences and coastal development. Wildlife
haven  There
are many different animals which call Orford Ness Nature Reserve their home.
From
common species like rabbits and woodmice to the more unusual Chinese Water Deer,
Orford Ness is a haven for wildlife. Water Voles are the largest voles in
the UK and are often nicknamed water rats, which is even apparent in "The
Wind in the Willows" where the character Ratty was actually a Water Vole. The
Water Vole has a round body, long tail and short, fat face, all covered in dark
fur, and inhabits the banks of ditches, dykes and grassland where they burrow
in and build their nests. Expert swimmers, Water Voles are often found in
slow-moving rivers but have not become adapted for life in the water, unlike otters. A
close relative of the Water Vole, Field Voles are also found here on the marshlands
where they use a network of runways to navigate between the entrances to their
tunnels. Unlike the Water Vole, Field Voles have short tails and grey-brown
fur. They're generally nocturnal but when food is scarce in winter they
can be seen during the day hunting for food, leaving a trail of scent behind them
to ward off other voles from their path. Unfortunately this trail can also
be seen from the air and often alerts circling birds of prey to their whereabouts.
Otters and Stoats  Otters
have long, sleek bodies to allow them to move smoothly through water but what
many people don't know is they can actually run at speeds up to 29 km/hour.
Measuring
about two feet long, Otters belong to the weasel family and spend most of their
time on land, although they have specially adapted eyesight to allow them to see
underwater.
When swimming, they float together in groups, called rafts
because of their appearance on the surface of the water.
A notoriously
curious creature, the Stoat is another slim-built animal but has a black tail
which distinguishes it from the Otter, though they both belong to the weasel family. Primarily
a nocturnal creature, it is possible to spot a Stoat during the day, when they
can be identified by their reddish-brown coat with a paler underside. However
in northern areas the Stoat turns pure white during winter, with only the tip
of their tail remaining black. This winter fur is called ermine and used
to be used for trimming coats and other expensive garments. Their numbers
are slowly declining due to trapping by farmers and gamekeepers, who control their
rapid breeding try to prevent them from eating the eggs and young of game birds
like Partridges and Pheasants. Photo credits Orford
Ness main photograph and Sea Campion image courtesy and copyright of Natural England
and Peter Wakely. Meadow Pipit courtesy of
Natural England and P.N. Watts. Otter copyright
of PA Images. | 
