Fridge – sea breeze, hundreds of whispers

In the far north, in secret from the world, nature brings to life extraordinary creatures – full of grace and harmony, with a hint of melancholy and reflection. Here are refrigerators – sky-high acrobats, who are not afraid of the sea depths.

Melody of birds and waves

The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think of the word refrigerator is food – after all, it’s where we most often keep our supplies. For me, however, the word brings with it something else: memories of sea breezes and hundreds of grateful whispers.

When I first saw the frigatebird(Clangula hyemalis), I was in awe. Where did the idea come from to name the bird that way? To understand it, you have to look at its Latin name. The second part of the stem means someone or something wintry, which in short thought can translate into such an unobvious name. The first part refers to a word familiar to most people – clangor, which means a shout or loud singing, a sound that carries around.

It is not uncommon to hear someone talking about the clanging of cranes or geese, which often heralds the arrival of autumn or spring, when flocks of birds fly over our heads. So are they noisy creatures? Definitely yes, although not in the way we might imagine.

The singing of the refrigerators and their dialogues with each other are like hundreds of whispers. They create a harmonious, graceful melody that fills the space, giving it, along with the sound of the waves, a contemplative expression. Being a man for whom sound is very important, I must confidently admit that the songs of these birds are pure poetry. One can listen to it like the compositions of Erik Satie or Claude Debussy – especially when one has the pleasure of enjoying a “concert” of hundreds of individuals.

From north to south

The heroes of this story are seabirds that appear in our country during migration and wintering. Their breeding grounds are located in northern Scandinavia, Siberia and Alaska, as well as in the Arctic.

The Polish coast is an attractive wintering region for them – one of the most important refuges in Europe. It is here that they can be found by the hundreds of thousands. It is estimated that there are about 300-500 thousand individuals wintering in Poland, and their number in the whole Baltic Sea is about 1-1.5 million.

Looking at data from previous decades, when numbers were around 4 million, there is a downward trend, which unfortunately continues to worsen. Such massive herds require access to food. Icefish are excellent divers – they can go from 10 to 30 meters underwater, and in extreme cases even 60-70 meters, to catch snails, clams and other invertebrates, which form the basis of their main diet.

The way they dive with lightness and grace shows their excellent adaptation to life in the marine environment. However, access to clean water is key here, which, unfortunately, is not so obvious in the Baltic.

The slow degradation of the marine environment can have catastrophic consequences for the survival of refrigerators, as the numbers prove. Overwintering birds in large flocks can suffer not only from general environmental deterioration, but also from sudden disasters, such as an oil spill. Unfortunately, birds also perish in fishing nets, mostly cast on an industrial scale.

New life in a distant land

However, observations of refrigerators also bring optimistic news. These birds reach breeding maturity at the age of two, and breed in wild, isolated places. As a result, breeding success is estimated at about 60 percent, which is a very good result.

The nest of the refrigerator is located directly on the ground, but well hidden among grasses or moss, near the coastal zone, in the northern tundra. The female lays 5 to 11 eggs, brooding for 24 to 29 days.

The chicks are nesters, which means that immediately after hatching they are ready to live independently and get food. However, they are not left alone – they stay close to their mother, who keeps them safe.

The male begins to undergo moulting during this period – extremely transformative, as birds can look quite different at different times, especially males. The female begins moulting a little later, when the young are already partially reared. Usually this process takes place twice a year for males and once or twice for females.

Why is moulting so important? Well, the feathers wear out, so the bird needs to replace them with new ones in order to remain functional. During the moulting period it becomes flightless for about four weeks. For birds living in such harsh conditions – strong winds, water, salt, temperature differences – keeping their feathers in excellent condition is a key part of survival.

The beauty of the winter chill

The appearance of the refrigerator is as interesting as its voice. The beautiful male with its contrasting black-and-white plumage and long tail is an extremely original bird. Females have shorter tails and their plumage takes on a more brownish-white hue.

So if you want to listen to the melodies of nature performed by these wonderful birds, the best time to go to the coast is between November and March. During this time, we have the best chance to see the coolies and hear them sing.

The most important points on the refrigerator map are the Bay of Puck, the Gulf of Gdansk, the Hel Peninsula and the Vistula Mouth – places where the chill of winter and the song of these unique birds mingle with the rhythm of the waves, creating music that stays in the memory and heart for a long time.

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pic. main: Karol Grabski