We must remember, not everything that counts can be measured, and not everything that can be measured counts.

Parrinder Hide, Shoveler squirting water and Avocet standing on one leg in gale.

I see the RSPB has deservedly won a couple of architectural awards from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The new Parrinder Hide at Titchwell and the Marshland Discovery Zone at Rainham are both exciting new structures that I have commented on before. Excellent, half a job done. The other half is what is outside the window and is the bit (sorry architects) that will entice most of us back into the building time and again.

What is it that makes us sit in the building longer than a quick warming of the new swivelling, plastic seat? A great hide provides a view that reveals more and more the longer you look. Great close-ups of common birds and other wildlife. Or perhaps spectacular flocks of birds. Or an unexpected look at something familiar. Some fascinating behaviour revealed, or an element of surprise, something which just a walk down the path would have missed. Nooks and crannies of habitat or landscape to look into, with new things appearing the longer you wait and watch. The chance of a rare bird! Such things that are stimulating or exalting to the spirit are often difficult to measure and certainly can be even more difficult to achieve.

So I decided to launch a new award: The Grumpy Ecologist’s ‘Most inspiring view from a box’ award. And by chance, I was back at Titchwell yesterday, looking at progress over the last year. The fresh marsh has been rejuvenated, years of encroaching vegetation rolled back and new islands created. Early days yet but 80 pairs of Avocet seem to like it, and this spring has provided good views of birds such as Temminck’s Stint, Red-necked Phalarope and Gull-billed Tern. None there when I visited of course, but I enjoyed close up views (on a lousy day) of feeding Avocets, godwits and Shoveler, wheeling flocks of tundra Ringed Plover and Turnstone, and Marsh Harriers drifting back and forth.

So the first winner of this soon to be prestigious award is: The Parrinder Hide at Titchwell. Nominations for the next award gratefully received.

I love these new hides but it’s what you see from them that counts. It doesn’t take Einstein to work that one out.

Non-stop fishing (a two Ruff(e) trip).

Put together a nice reedy edge and a good population of Rudd to get a booming Bittern. Bittern photo by Andy Thompson.

Bitterns basically have simple requirements; tall, wet vegetation full of food. In the UK, this means reedbeds and fish. As the reedbed tour continues, this week we looked at fish populations and started at Titchwell. The reserve had one ‘boomer’ and one successful Bittern nest this year. Electro-fishing produced fair amounts of Rudd and Eels, both key prey for Bitterns, and the reedbed restoration some 5 years back has produced a good reed edge.

The freshmarsh at Titchwell is currently undergoing a make-over. Reed around the margins has been blitzed and islands have been re-profiled and re-levelled. Expect good birds over the coming years! Today the nearly dry marsh had plenty of waders around the diggers, but thankfully nothing rare: 200+ Dunlin, 100+ Golden Plover, plenty of Ruff, 10+ Whimbrel and a Garganey.

Strumpshaw Fen was the second stop of the tour. Despite the dry spring, Strumpshaw has surpassed itself this year with up to 4 boomers and 3 nests (usually only 1-2 boomers, with no nesting). The electro-fishing provided the answer: 2 years after a major saline inundation and fish kill, the fish population has rocketed. We caught 6 species at a biomass of 20+kg/ha of fish less than 300g (twice the estimated threshold for Bittern breeding). Personally, I was pleased with a fish ‘tick’ – Ruffe. We flushed a Bittern from the ditch with the highest fish density, Water Rails squealed, and the young Bearded Tits and Marsh Harriers everywhere pointed to a good breeding season. An Otter performing in front of the hide (a regular event this year) underlined the resurgence in fish populations.

And finally, a look around the reedbed at Otmoor. The catch here was mainly Pike and Perch, indicating an early stage in the development of the fish community. It will be a year or two yet before Bitterns boom here.  Two Little Stints, a Ruff, Hobby and 14+ Red Kites in the general area added to the interest.

Below: the freshmarsh at Titchwell takes shape.