Avocet update

Avocet update

Our scrapes are gradually becoming quieter as newly fledged young follow their parents to join the 'super' flock on the Severn. A single flock of 114 was counted this morning on the low tide pools. This included 29 juveniles, some of these have arrived from elsewhere to join the Slimbridge families, maybe from Severn flood plain sites or Worcestershire..

South Lake has a single adult looking after eight chicks, only two of these actually belong to it! The other 6 chicks have been left by their parents to get on with it, they should be OK as they reached an independent age. On the Top New Piece we have a fledged brood of two with parent, a single parent with a small chick and pair on eggs which make it a total of 90 adults + 40 juveniles on site.

On the higher tides the flock usually come back to the scrapes to roost but should begin to disperse towards the end of the month and into August. Maybe they follow the coast down to Somerset (WWT Steart?) or continue to Devon, Cornwall or the continent for the winter.

Other sightings include

South Lake

One adult Avocet + 8 young, 3 Little ringed Plover (vegetation obscuring the incubating bird in the protective cage), 7 male Ruff, 32 Redshank, 100+ Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Lapwing, 15 Teal, 46 Gadwall, 5 Shoveler, 5 Cormorant and 3 Great Crested Grebe

Top New Piece

Breeding plumage Spotted Redshank, 2 Redshank, 12 Little-ringed Plover (three adults), 86 adult Dunlin, 4 adult Avocet_+ 2 fledged juveniles, single chick with parent and pair still incubating, juvenile Yellow Wagtail with the Pied's, 10 Shoveler and 45 Lapwing.

Rushy Hide

Two Green Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwit.

Tack Piece

Three Green Sandpiper, 3 Lapwing and Mute Swan.

The Dumbles

Sixty Lapwing.

Middle Point

Five Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 122 Curlew, 34 Shelduck, 114 Avocet near Frampton Breakwater

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