Boyton, like most of our coastal wetland reserves has had more than its fair share of rain over the last two months. The breeding birds at Boyton have found it difficult it rear any young due to the cold and difficult weather. However, there has been some good news, the avocets returned to the flash once again with up to twelve pairs nesting and today there are at least six healthy chicks walking around the flash. Also, the lapwing around the flash have faired OK with a number of chicks also showing well. However, the story is not quite so rosy around the rest of the reserve with overall lapwing numbers down on the last few springs. Fortunately, waders are long lived birds and do need to successfully fledge young every spring.
The flash has had its fair share of passage waders this spring with little stint, wood sandpiper, sanderlings, dunlin, ringed plovers and greenshanks all recorded recently. The four spoonbills that are currently resident on Havergate often pop over the river to the reserve and they have also been regularly seen at the Hollesley reserve. This winter we have plans to reform the nesting island within the flash and increase the number in an attempt to boost the population of breeding waders on the site and hopefully improve the experience for the visitors even further.
In contrast to Boyton, Hollesley has preformed very well this spring with up to fourteen pairs of lapwing and nine pairs of redshank all nesting on the reserve which is the best spring recorded on the reserve since the site was purchased.
Aaron, Site Manager