Barbondale and Eric Morecambe

[johnwilson]

#7598

Barbondale on 13th
Usual Pied Flycatchers and Redstart Pair of Spotted Flycatchers but no Cuckoos

Eric Morecambe Morning visit
Little Egret 47 mainly on Far Flood
Heron 5
Teal 12
Lapwing 72
Black-tailed Godwit 380
Bar-Tailed Godwit c12
Greenshank 1
Avocet approx 36 Adults 40 young mainly on flood and difficult to keep track of.
Marsh Harrier 2
Black-headed Gull c 120 dead birds
John Wilson

[guymcclelland]

#7600

Hello John. Do you mind me asking if survival of avocet chicks is higher this year due to the demise of so many BHGs?

[joncarter]

#7601

Hi Guy – that’s a really interesting question. While the terrible impact of Avian Flu on the gulls will have surely helped the Avocet chicks through reduced predation, there are other factors at work too.
Deliberate water level management in the early part of the breeding season (keeping the Allen Pool levels high to reduce nesting areas) coupled with improved landscaping on the EM Pool changed the densities of nesting birds in small areas. This seems to have worked as planned! It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the future, especially as BH Gulls (hopefully) develop immunity.

[guymcclelland]

#7602

Thanks Jon. I am a definite fan of BHGs, so it is good to know that the possible increase in avocet chick survivorship is due to management of the area.

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