The nesting Avocets at Boyton marshes are doing well. Their where still a few chicks present on the site on the 30th of June. An accurate count was hard to gauge but given that at least three pairs appeared to be territorially suggests that some chicks are still alive.
One of the biggest dangers and risks seems to be coming from the Hereford cows, specially the young uns. Who have taken a liking to the islands built in the middle of the flash! Especially during this hot spell, the idea of a quick cool off in the water and a sit down on the island is too much for them to resist. This obviously spells trouble for vulnerable Avocet chicks, who obviously at a young age cannot fly and have a survival technique that when confronted with (from there perspective) an enormous cow are likely to stop and freeze and hope that natural camouflage stops them from being noticed. Last years attempts where curtailed by a Mink taking the eggs, so to lose some to cow damage this year, whilst unproven would be a blow.
However, this shouldn’t detract from what has been a positive step forward for Boyton and the greater South Suffolk reserves network, where Avocet chicks have been in short supply for a few years. Avocets are a bird that benefits from colonising new sites, the chicks are especially vulnerable to nest predators e.g. Foxes and avian predators, so by providing new habitat away from traditional nesting sites it can often take a while for the caravan of predators to catch up.
Beyond Boyton at Hollesley, one pair of Lapwing has successfully reared two chicks, sadly no Redshank have used this site this year, Avocets are using the site for feeding, and this site may well have potential for Avocets in the future. Migrants included a Green sandpiper, a fantastic wading bird on his way north to breed, in flight they closely resemble a large Storm petrel.