Today I paid a visit to The Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve at Upton Warren near Droitwich in Worcestershire. It is managed by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. Entry fee £3, free to members of any Wildlife Trust.
The target species was the charismatic Avocet. There were about 30 birds present.
That fine upturned bill is something else.
Well they are waders!
A reflective moment.
I did not get too many opportunities to show the wings open. Here was one. I am not sure why, or how, this one has managed to open the base of the bill.
Some dispute over a food item?
A short video of the way it sweeps its upturned bill as it feeds. A couple of photo-bombs by Black-headed Gulls.
There were not too many other species of wader. Usually a few pairs of Little Ringed Plovers breed but these usually early returning migrants were not present. Neither were there any passage waders, probably as a result of the very clear weather with birds flying straight over toward their breeding grounds. A few pairs of Lapwings were present.
There were also a few Oystercatchers, a species that often breeds near inland water bodies.
Digging for worms
The other notable breeding species is Black-headed Gull. Here a trio appear to be watching life go by. However with wings slightly akimbo this is used both as a threat and part of the display.
Almost all in full summer plumage. A good view of the wings.
Another view as one drops in to the water.
A Black-headed Gull colony is a noisy place.
A lot of posturing.
The bird on the left still has some white blotches on its head and has yet to acquire complete adult summer plumage. The wing pattern confirms it is an adult though.
I think what is going on here is that a female, or the right, is trying to persuade the male on the left to regurgitate some food for her to prove that he is a worthy mate and will be capable of helping her provide for the chicks.
And he may be rewarded!
The colony is not the place for what the gulls see as a predator – as this passing Grey Heron was finding out.
Several species of ducks were present. Here are two Shelduck. The bird on the left is a drake with the very bright bill and swollen base; and the wide chestnut band across the chest. The bird on the right seems to have a less clearly defined breast band but it still seems quite broad. It may be a first year bird – without being able to see the bill I cannot be sure.
If there was a drake Gadwall present I was going to point the camera at it.
