The Next Generation

30th May 2013

Spring migration had all but finished at Amwell and the remaining birds were settling down to the business of producing the next generation. On the wader front there were breeding hopes for the Oystercatchers, Redshanks, Little Ringed Plovers and Lapwings. The Oystercatchers had been sitting on a nest for several weeks but had obviously failed for whatever reason, and it was still fairly uncertain what the Redshanks and plovers were up to.

However, the Lapwings had obviously been getting on with the task in hand quietly in the background and had managed to produce two chicks, which the parent birds proudly paraded right in front of the viewpoint. One of the adults was always on hand to fend off the attention of crows, although the young chicks did seem incredibly vulnerable to Stoats, Weasels, Mink and Foxes.