Today the symbol of the RSPB, the Avocet, has been seen on Hicksons Pool (the body of water to the west of the old railway line at Lin Dike) - well, 24 of them, actually! But how many people know why the Avocet is the emblem of the RSPB? Well, gather round, and I'll tell you a story...
Avocets used to breed along our coastline from Sussex to Yorkshire, but disappeared as a breeding bird from Britain in 1842. Adults, and eggs, were regularly taken for food, egg collecting, and taxidermy (the stuffing and mounting of animals).
However, in 1947, over a century later, Avocets returned to Suffolk after a tidal river flooded into Havergate, which created ideal conditions for these easily recognisable birds; and a year later they returned to Minsmere after shallow pools formed where grazing marshes had been flooded (to stop invading troops) and then drained. At Minsmere, a series of pools and islands was created between 1962 and 1974, with Avocets returning here a year after work began - a fantastic success story for the RSPB. There are now over 100 breeding pairs of Avocets at Minsmere and Havergate, and over 400 across Britain. What a great choice of bird for the RSPB - this is one of the most successful conservation projects in Britain and one that should be celebrated every time we see one of these guys.
These beautiful black and white birds have been seen regularly over the past week. If you're struggling for time to get down here, or aren't sure what an Avocet really looks like, here's a link to a lovely short video of an Avocet on the RSPB website.
Georgina Collins