The lissom reeds

Walking near Fishbourne today we came to the reedbeds on Chichester Harbour, amazing habitat for birds and insects as well as water fowl. The way everything fits together is quite wonderful, we could take lessons in living in harmony and adaptability. The Reed Warbler comes here to breed from Africa, building deep cup shaped nests among the reed stems so that the young are not thrown out when the reeds sway in the wind. Reed Buntings on the other hand, resident all year round, build their nests in the denser vegetation at the bottom of the reeds. No falling out, either with other birds or with the young ones being blown away.

Reeds are remarkable also for coping with both salt water when the tide comes in and freshwater from the streams that abound when the tide goes out.

Often reedbeds are a habitat threatened by agriculture, but at Fishbourne the area is managed and is actually being increased by encouraging the reeds to colonise new areas.

Used of course for basket weaving, matting and roof thatch.

It was quite eerie, taking the path through the beds with nothing in sight but 10 foot high reeds, gently waving. Had the sky been spectacular with clouds it might have been quite a different feeling. As it was, it was dull greyish blue with nothing to relieve the quite stark quality. Elegant though.

"The lissom reeds that give and take,
That bend so far, but never break"


Thank you for all your goods wishes and kind thoughts yesterday. Much more comfortable today, obviously, to be able to take this short walk. :)