Rare black-winged stilts fledged near Doncaster

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Published on June 15th, 2022

Potteric Carr nature reserve in Doncaster has been playing host to nesting black-winged stilts for nearly a month and today Yorkshire Wildlife Trust announced that the chicks have fledged.

The Trust believes this to be the most northerly breeding success for this species ever in the UK.

The pair arrived at Potteric Carr reserve on 16th May and were soon prospecting for a nesting site, tempted by the wetlands with rich mudflats where they can feed.

“The nest was vulnerable to predation by other birds and mammals, but the parents were quite aggressive in and around the nest, and have been busy chasing off all manner of birds. Our amazing team of volunteers and reserve staff have kept an eye on the nest round the clock to help protect the nest from egg collectors, who sadly are still an illegal threat to wild birds.”
Andy Dalton, Operations Manager at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Visit Potteric Carr nature reserve - details here.

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