Local Breeding Avocets - A Few Pictures

I had managed to see the three (when I first visited) Avocet chicks the day after they hatched, but had not managed to get pictures. About 10 days later I returned with my Digiscoping gear hoping to get some pictures of Staffordshire's first recorded Avocet chicks. Since my initial visit another chick had hatched and I was pleased to see all four were still present and correct.

The fourth chick is noticeably smaller than the other three, but seems perfectly healthy. It was causing the parent birds to work hard by wandering off away from the other chicks and feeding on its own. This caused the parent birds to split their attention between the group and the inquisitive individual. They are doing a sterling job of protecting the young and while I was there drove off a Lesser Black Backed Gull and a Carrion Crow that didn't actually venture that close to the chicks, then they accosted a Shelduck that inadvertantley did.

Eventually, I managed to drag myself away from the "Lookout" hide and on the way back to the car stopped to digiscope this singing Whitethroat. Another enjoyable visit.