After an uncertain start to the season Hollesley has proven again to be a haven for wildlife and with a few hiccoughs along the way (e.g hungry gulls and crows) the Avocets and Lapwing have rallied together and managed to fledge over 30 chicks (this number includes the Boyton flash which was also very successful) after a dismal year last year with 0 fledglings we are all very pleased. Myself and many visitors have enjoyed sitting in the screen and watching all the activity going on. The site has also been fantastic for ducks ....well you know what they say about ducks and rain. We have a current count of 8 Mallard broods, 2 Shoveler broods, 3 Gadwall broods, a pair of Tufted duck and amazingly a stunning female Pintail who at last count has 9 ducklings. Pintails are rare breeders in the UK with only a handful of comfirmed pairs breeding nationally.
Pintail with ducklings
David Fairhurst
Now the water is lower on the scrape we have started to see some of our summer species dropping in. We had 13 Spoonbill over the weekend (2/3 July) who we know are also spending time on Havergate Island. Top counts of 110 Black tailed Godwits, 4 Green sandpipers, 4 Greenshank, 4 Spotted Redshank a a lovely Clouded Yellow Butterfly.