Oh hello there wonderful people!
First of all, sorry about the title. I was sitting here trying to think of a play on words for 'avocet' but fell short of anything remotely decent. Then I was sitting here (again), thinking about how awesome it would be to have a movie named after this dashing, yet quarrelsome bird.
"The Avocet"
Boom!
Would it be a menacing horror with a killer tagline? A comedy? Thriller? Social commentary? Natural disaster? Documentary about avocets, even?
So I sat there (do I ever get up?) and thought, “it's nearly spring and a great time to talk about the recent and imminent arrivals who make FANTASTIC spring viewing”. Hence, the rubbish title was born and so was an insight to my thought process, yikes.
There are, of course, other birds to talk about come spring, but I don't want this blog post to last forever. That will just have to wait.
Folks, spring is officially here...although I mentioned that a moment ago, therefore you know what that means? Bluebells? Yes. But also, migration! For those who are still trying to get their heads around bird watching, it's essentially the time of year when many of our winter guests depart to breed in colder climates and others return from a winter spent in warmer climes further south. Come autumn, these summer visitors leave once more to find food and refuge in destinations as far afield as Africa. Likewise, the birds that have been breeding up north will make a return to our shores for winter grub. There are still many resident birds that stay with us all year round, but twice a year, birders' wellington boots get in a twist at the first sign of returning birds, and one of the earliest of these is the avocet.
Without further ado, let me round up some background knowledge about this iconic bird, so whilst you are visiting Burton Mere Wetlands and admiring one of our most stunning breeders over a brew in the Reception Hide, or even a tasty sandwich from Chris' catering van, you can also be annoying the person next to you with these nibble-sized factoids! WINNING!
The avocet tends to favour marsh and wet grassland with shallow bodies of water, which makes them a regular summer visitor to Burton Mere Wetlands. They are a highly distinctive bird, with a very obvious upturned beak as well as striking monochrome plumage. Not only does that beak make them easier to spot, it gives the avocet a unique way of gathering its food. In murky waters, it can locate potential prey by using a sweeping motion, thus disturbing sediments and any tasty morsels that may be lurking.
Avocet flock at Burton Mere Wetlands by Lynne Greenstreet
The avocet is quite a social character, at least amongst its own kind. As a colonial bird, they form significant flocks which is how you'll see them if you visit the reserve in the next few days, before they separate into pairs although their nests can be in close proximity to each other. Extremely territorial, the avocet will viciously attack against real or perceived threats from other birds and are not afraid to tackle birds substantially larger than themselves. The offspring typically stay close to their parents for over a month, up to about 42 days when they become independent. Once fledged, the birds don't stick around long and will begin their southward migration and be can be gone from the Dee by mid-August.
You probably also recognise the avocet's profile from the RSPB's logo, owing to the close link between the Society's origins in combating the barbaric trade in feathers of birds such as this. A native British bird, the avocet was lost from our shores in the Victorian era due to hunting and loss of its wetland habitat through drainage to make way for industry, farming and other development. It was absent for around 100 years until they managed to recolonise the Suffolk coast in areas flooded to provide a defence against the opposition during World War II. The RSPB's hand's on conservation efforts in those areas allowed avocet numbers to grow once more and 50 years later has slowly spread northwards to colonise sites such as Burton Mere Wetlands. Their success here is testament to the hard work done to create the ideal habitat conditions for them to thrive. Last year, 35 pairs nested on the main scrape in front of the Reception Hide and between them fledged 72 chicks, making it one of the most productive avocet colonies in the country! Fingers crossed we can repeat that success this year.
With all this new avocet knowledge flapping around your noggin' do you need any more excuses to shake off those old winter blues and head down to Burton Mere Wetlands? Don't forget, we have already started to see firsts of migratory birds such as the wheatear and the sand martin and we are still waiting to welcome with open arms all the summer visitors who make their home with us. Will YOU be the next person to see a FIRST?
The weather forecast looks great for the next few days, and we have a 'Wildlife Wander' on Saturday afternoon if you fancy a guided walk with one of our friendly volunteers. Even better, it's Mothers' Day on Sunday so 'Mum's Go Free!' at Burton Mere Wetlands, so what better excuse to pay us a visit and see the impressive flock of awesome avocets before they pair off and start nesting.