Birdwatch News Archive

Fortunately not all of this year's Black-tailed Godwit nests have been washed out by the rains. Photo: JuliaOnline (commons.wikimedia.org).

Godwits beat the rain

Posted on: 12 Jul 2012

The wettest June on record did not prevent declining waders from breeding on a special land project, even as the rain continued to fall in July.

At the Ouse Washes RSPB in Cambridgeshire, it looked like a total washout for many of Britain's rarest wading birds, with much of their valuable habitat being drowned in metres of water. However, the charity's staff are now celebrating the successful hatching of three Black-tailed Godwit chicks.

The nest in question was built on a specially set aside area of land named the ‘Pilot Project’, initially developed to test whether new wildlife habitat could be created on local farmland to benefit birds like Redshank, Northern Lapwing and Common Snipe. This came as part of the quest to find a solution to the major flooding problems along the Ouse Washes, bringing together the RSPB, the Environment Agency and Cambridgeshire County Council.

Jon Reeves, Site Manager at Ouse Washes RSPB said: “With dramatic changes in weather patterns bringing increased water levels, the Ouse Washes are now often a wash-out in summer and rare birds like Black-tailed Godwit simply have nowhere to go. Without the Pilot Project and new areas planned by the Environment Agency, the future of these birds would be in serious jeopardy. But, with the arrival of these three chicks, there is certainly a ray of hope.”

The Pilot Project was established 10 years ago at Manea next to the Ouse Washes and now extends to 75 hectares. It is managed in a specific way, which means it is ideal for wading birds. This year it has supported 78 pairs of breeding waders at one of the highest densities recorded in Britain, equivalent to more than one pair per hectare.