Reeds used to be collected for roof thatching, this traditional
practice reduced the accumulation of leaf litter and helped to maintain reed-beds. This rarely occurs now and it is often the job of work teams at wildlife conservation organisations (like Gwent Wildlife Trust!) to actively manage reed-beds to maintain them in good condition.
WHERE TO FIND REED-BEDS IN GWENT? Reed-beds in Gwent are not as extensive as they once were, with historical land drainage removing considerable areas. The lower reaches of both the Usk and the Wye have linear areas of reed-bed as do reens and ditches on The Gwent Levels. We have reed-beds fringing reens and other waterways and the large pond at our Magor Marsh nature reserve, however by far the largest area is at Newport Wetlands Reserve where an extensive reed-bed was created on a former fuel ash disposal site in 2000 as mitigation for the Cardiff Bay Barrage.
SO WHAT WILDLIFE LIVES IN OUR REED-BEDS? There are 40 insect species in the UK that feed exclusively on reeds and a further 24 that rely on it for part of their life-cycle, so without reed-beds we would lose these 64 species. The shelter and close proximity to water are also conducive to many other invertebrates thriving and this in turn provides plentiful food for many other species higher up the food chain including quite a few rare and secretive species.
If we visited Newport Wetlands what could we possibly see? Firstly, it must be stressed that as reed-beds are so dense it can be quite hard to see anything, you certainly need to remember to pack your ears! However, with patience much wildlife can be encountered.
A visit any time of year should reveal Reed Buntings which as their
name would imply love reeds, feeding on insects in the summer and the reed seeds in winter. Also present all year round is the Bearded Tit (or Bearded Reedling as they are now called), this is a recent addition to Gwent’s birdlife and almost exclusively occurring at Newport Wetlands, although a challenge to see, (listen out for their pinging calls).
Another recent addition to Gwent’s breeding birds is the Bittern, another reed-bed specialist, which was confirmed to be breeding at Newport Wetlands for the first time in 2020. They are also present all year round, however their great camouflage and the fact they can get all their fish prey from within the reed-bed makes them hard to see, again listen out for their calls, a distinctive deep “booming”.
Speaking of calls, two other year-round reed-bed residents are the Cetti’s Warbler which has an outrageously loud call for such a small bird and the Water Rail which sounds like a squealing pig! To see the other warbler species that frequent the reed-beds you will need to visit in the spring or summer when the air is alive with the evocative scratching calls of both Reed and Sedge Warblers. You might also be lucky enough to see a Marsh Harrier quartering
over the reeds hoping to pick off a bird that strays too far from cover. Whilst the reed-beds are most alive in the spring and summer, it is in the depths of winter when one of the most spectacular wildlife displays happens, the Starling murmuration. Between November and March, flocks of up to 150,000 starlings gather at Newport Wetlands at dusk prior to roosting in the relative safety of the
reed-beds.The swirling, constantly morphing flocks before they settle, are a truly spectacular natural phenomenon.
It is not all about the birds either, dazzling dragonflies such as the Emperor can be seen quartering the areas of open water and perching on the reeds. Otters also call the reed-beds home, they are ideal habitat with ample shelter and a ready food supply.
Additionally, our hugely successful Water Vole reintroduction at our Magor Marsh nature reserve has resulted in them spreading as far as the reed-beds at Newport Wetlands.
So, if you enjoyed reading about Reed-beds, when it is safe and possible to do so, why not plan a visit Newport Wetlands, or if you would prefer to avoid the crowds come to our Magor Marsh Nature Reserve.
https://www.gwentwildlife.org/nature-reserves/magor-marsh-sssi
77
Bearded Reedling – A very attractive but rare and secretive reed-bed specialist. (Photo: Pete Hadfield)
We rely on the hands-on support of volunteers and donations from our members, charitable trusts, the
public and local organisations to manage our 33 nature reserves in Gwent as havens for wildlife and people. I’d love to hear from you if you would like to help us. Email
info@gwentwildlife.org or find us on
facebook.com/gwentwildlife and
twitter.com/gwentwildlife.
LIVE24-SEVEN.COM
GWENT WI LDL I F E TRUST SO WHAT I S A RE ED-BED?
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
