Wildlife Watch with Jerry

Barton Broad, Black Terns and Bitterns

Jerry Simpson

Black tern in flight. Credit: RSPB.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/Black-tern

The beginning of May is always an exciting time for birdwatchers, as it marks the period

when migration brings the potential for anything to turn up in your local patch. Over the

years, I have looked forward to the chance of seeing one of my favourite terns, the Black

Tern (Chilidonias niger), appearing on Barton Broad as it passes through. During springtime,

these marsh terns, known for feeding almost exclusively in freshwater habitats, grace our

local broads briefly while moving toward their breeding grounds. As the name suggests, they

display some black colouration in their spring finery, featuring a black head, bill, and

underparts, while their wings are predominantly grey. They lack the long tail streamers found

on sea terns but possess a forked tail that they use as they twist and turn in the air, picking

insects off the water's surface.

Black terns spend the winter in Africa but breed across mainland Europe as far east as the

Soviet Union. They can start passing through the Broads from late April to mid-May,

depending on weather conditions. If you are not watching on the right day, you may easily

miss them as they do not stay long. They begin their autumn passage in early July, but the

majority move back through Norfolk in August and early September. Autumn birds are much

less colourful than in spring, lack much of the black colouration that gives them their name,

and are generally seen in much lower numbers.

Black terns used to breed in Norfolk and the fens but, sadly, have not successfully nested

here since 1975 when a pair raised one chick at Welney. “Birds of Norfolk” documents their

demise as a breeding bird and records that three birds over-summered at Hoveton Great

Broad in 1979, while a letter from Sir Thomas Browne in 1668 commented on a wet Alder

carr at Upton that held hundreds and hundreds of Black tern nests and suggests the birds

were known locally as the “Blue darr";. As the drainage of Broadland continued, the Upton

Drainage Act of 1799 meant that the colony did not survive there much longer.

Bitterns (Botaurus stellaris) Credit: Jon Kelf

Bitterns (Botaurus stellaris) have already been heard booming this spring from both Barton

Turf and Irstead, which border Barton Broad. I have also heard them booming from the

direction of How Hill. Bitterns are reputed to be Britain’s loudest bird, with the male’s

distinctive booming sound, which resembles a foghorn, carrying over three miles. RSPB

monitors Bittern numbers by counting male birds heard booming, and the latest figures bring

good news. Last year, they recorded 283 calling, a 20% increase from 2023 and the largest

annual increase since monitoring began in 1990 - a far cry from when only eleven were left

in 1997. Early in the morning is the best time to hear them.

Bitterns (Botaurus stellaris) have already been heard booming this spring in Barton. Credit: Jon Kelf

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Look out for the first dragonflies and damselflies of the year which are on the wing in May. In

Broadland the first damselflies are usually the Large Red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)

and the Azure damselfly (Coenagrion puella), the latter being one of three similar-looking

blue species. The first dragonflies are generally the Hairy dragonfly (Brachytron pratense),

which is small and blue-green in colour, and the Four-spotted chaser (Orthetrum

cancellatum) which has distinctive black spots on its wings.

Large Red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) Credit: Jon Kelf

Jerry Simpson is a Broads Society member who lives in Neatishead, within walking distance

of both Barton and Alderfen Broads. He is a site-specific volunteer for the Broads Authority

with responsibility for the Barton boardwalk and chairman of the Broadland local group of the

Norfolk Wildlife Trust.