I have a long association with Blacktoft Sands RSPB reserve, going back to the mid 1980s when the place played host to a couple of firsts for Britain, Hudsonian godwit and red-necked stint.
These days I don't go as often as I would like, despite the fact that it's only a one hour thirty minute drive away, little further than Leighton Moss which I consider local. However, this afternoon I was working in the area and decided to call in, hoping for a few year ticks to boost my 2021 list.
First stop was the Marshlands hide where I found an avocet colony with at
least 18 chicks, which included a pair quite close to the hide. Despite being
aggressive defenders of their nest when they have eggs, avocets seem really
bad parents when the chicks hatch, at times seeming to lose so many youngsters
to gulls and other predators that I often wonder how they survive as a
species.
At the Ousefleet hide I came across five 1st summer little gulls, including
one with a complete black hood. It was quite an odd experience watching this
bird, on the water it was very adult like especially when compared to the
other less advanced birds, but when it flew, it still had the juvenile
blackish W across the wings.
Other birds included a very flighty bittern which I saw on about three separate occasions, three cuckoos including two together and best of all, a nice flock of five bearded tits, bringing my year total to a nice round 200.
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