Peak Number of Adults seen :- 32
Total Number of Nesting Pairs :- 17
Nests Predated/Abandoned :-7
Chicks Hatched :-21
Chicks Surviving :- 9
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6th July:- Between today and yesterday I have seen that all Nine chicks have fledged and are mobile. I intend to end this exercise now! Please take the figures above as the final breeding results!

5th July:- 8am to 8.30am, Much flying about between The Flood and The EM Pool! The result was One Avocet on The Flood and One Chick (this is the smallest chick and is probably? the only one that has not fledged). Three Avocets on The EM Pool and Two fledged Chicks. There is a report on the LDBWS site of Nine Avocets by John Wilson! Apart from the single chick on The Flood the remainder have all fledged and are very mobile, (probably feeding in The Gulleys [more water] hence out of sight)!

4th July:- 12pm, only One Avocet seen on The Flood. The Flood is reduced to Two Small muddy pools. The rest of the flock have probably flown away to find better feeding areas!

3rd July:- A day away with Lancaster Fellwalkers

2nd July:- 8.30 to 9am, Six Avocets on The Flood and Nine Chicks (4+2+2+1). Most of the time the chicks were resting (they had probably been feeding since daybreak)!

1st July:- 7.30am to8am, Six Avocets on The Flood and Nine Chicks (4+2+2+1). Two Avocets on The EM Pool. Water levels are dropping every day, The EM Flood Pool is dry and the other Three Pools have very low water levels!

30th June:- 9.15 to 9.45, Five Avocets on The Flood plus Nine Chicks (4+2+2+1). All the pools are rapidly drying up leaving muddy pools where The Cows have churned up the mud! Two Chicks seen flying today and I am confident Two more of a similar age can fly too! Most of the Cows have moved to The Saltmarsh behind the EM Pool.

29th June:- 7.15 to 7.30am,The Flood Six Avocets and Nine Chicks. EM Pool, Two Avocets. There are also Thirty Six Cows on The Flood and EM pools. The adult Avocets are trying to keep The Cows at a distance (they don't take any notice)! The Allen Pool still has an Electric Fence (I'm not sure whether it is live)?

28th June:- A day away in the Bassenthwaite area, (seeing Ospreys Fishing and Otters)!

27th June:- Much disturbance on The saltmarsh today! LM Staff taking down the electric fence and paddling in the pools. The local Farmer also present. I would have thought R.S.P.B would have had more sense than to disturbs the Avocet Chicks at this stage, (before they had fledged)! The sightings today are fragmentary due to The Disturbance! The Flood Two Avocets and Three Chicks "seen". EM Pool, One Avocet and Two Chicks "seen". Allen Pool, Four Avocets. Perhaps things will have settled down by the 29th June. The Elecric fence around The Allen Pool had not been taken down when I was present, (this will course another big disturbance if it is done!)

26th June:- A day away in the upper Eden Valley!

25th June:- 9am, Five Avocets on The Flood plus Eight Chicks seen! Three Avocets on The EM Pool. Today and yesterday the larger chicks were seen exercising their wings! The nineth and smallest Chick is almost certainly present as the parent birds are obviously in a Guarding posture (The chick seems to be hidden by the grassy bank near the railway). Horendous weather for viewing (sea mist and strong winds).

24th June:- 10am, Five Avocets on The Flood plus Nine Chicks. Three Avocets on The Allen Pool. The Chicks were sheltering much of the time from the strong winds!

23rd June:- 8.30am, Seven Avocets on The Flood plus Nine Chicks, (4+2+2+1). The Chicks seem to have escaped the attention of The Fox, but I noticed that a non flying Whooper Swan seems to be missing!

22nd June:- 7.30 to 8am, Six Avocets on The Flood plus Nine Chicks, (4+2+2+1). Two Avocets on The EM Pool plus A Fox! Three of The Chicks are still being brooded to keep warm.

21st June:- 8am, Six Avocets on The Flood plus Nine Chicks, (4+2+2+1). All the birds were active today in the strong winds. It should not be long before the larger chicks fledge.

20th June:- 1pm to 1.30pm, Six Avocets on The Flood plus Nine Chicks, (4+2+2+1). The Chicks were spending long periods resting.

19th June:- A day away with Lancaster Fellwalkers

18th June:- 8.00 to 10.30am, Six Avocets on The Flood plus Nine Chicks, (4+2+2+1). Two Avocets on The EM Pool. Two of The Chicks with their accompanying Parents were close in to the bank, near to the Railway so were very difficult to see!

17th June:- 7.30am, Four Avocets on The Flood plus Nine Chicks, (4+2+2+1). A Quicky today, I could see all of the birds present in a few minutes.

16th June:- 8.30 to 10.30, Five Avocets on The Flood plus Nine Chicks (4+2+2+1). Since yesterday morning Two Chicks have been taken (probably by a Fox). A Fox has been seen recently on The Saltmarsh!

15th June:- 7.30am, Six Avocets on The Flood plus Eleven Chicks, (4+4+2+1). No other Avocets visible!

14th June:- A day away in the River Ure/Eden area!

13th June:- 1.30pm, Seven Avocets on The Flood plus Eleven Chicks (4+4+2+1). Two Avocets on The EM Pool. Strong winds today, the chicks were brooded often!

12th June:- 8am, Eight Avocets on The Flood with Eleven Chicks, (4+4+2+1). Two Avocets on The EM Pool, no chicks. No Avocets on The Allen Pool.

11th June:- 8.30 to 9.30am, Exactly the same results as yesterday i.e Eleven Chicks found!

10th June:- 7.30 to 8am, Seven Avocets on The Flood plus Ten Chicks! The Chicks were in Four families i.e. (4+3+2+1). One Avocet on the EM Pools with One Chick. No Avocets on The Allen Pool.

9th June:- 8.30am, Four Avocets on The Flood with Three Chicks (2+1) The Two chicks were obviously older! Five Avocets on The EM Pools with Five Chicks (4+1), all well grown chicks! No Avocets or chicks on The Allen Pool! The Three Nests on The Allen Pool seen on the 7th seem to have hatched in my absence, but have been walked towards The Flood and are proving difficult to find!

8th June:- 1.30 to 2.30pm, Two Avocets on The Flood with One Chick. Five Avocets on The EM Pools with Five Chicks. Four Avocets on The Allen Pool, no Chicks, there has been reports of Ten Chick today see Leighton Moss Sightings Page

7th June:- 7 to 9am, Two Avocets on The Flood with Two Chicks. Four Avocets on The EM Pools with Four Chicks, (One pair with a single chick plus Three chicks with another pair). Five Avocets on The Allen Pool (no Chicks), however there are still three nests that have not hatched young yet!

6th June:- 11.30am, Two Avocets on The Flood with Two Chicks. Eight Avocets on The EM Pools with Five Chicks (Two families 4+1). Six Avocets on The Allen Pool, No Chicks! Only Three sitting Avocets found on the Allen Pool. It looks like the chicks have been decimated since my last visit on the 4th of June.

5th June:- A day away with Lancaster Fellwalkers

4th June:- 9 to 10.30am, The Flood Two adults and Two Avocet Chicks. EM Pool and flood, Six Adults and Eight Avocet Chicks (Two families). The Allen Pool, Twelve adults and Five Avocet Chicks. The chicks consisted of a single (very well grown) and another family of Four chicks!

3rd June:- 8 to 9am, Eight Chicks (2 families) on The Allen Pool plus Six Chicks (2 families) on the EM Flood

2nd June:- 9am, Eighteen Avocets on The Allen Pool plus Four Chicks. 1.30pm, Now Eight Chicks (another nest has hatched chicks), Two Families!

1st June:- 1pm to 2.30pm, Allen Pool Eighteen Avocets plus Two on The EM Pool. Only Four Chicks Found. They have been swum back to the birth Island.

31st May:- 1.30pm, Twenty one Avocets on The Allen Pool. The Chicks from the Two Nests that have hatched have left their birth island and swum? over to a large muddy area near the Sluice. There are now Two Chicks from one of the nests plus Four Chicks from the other! There are at least Eight more Nests due to hatch chicks in the near future!

30th May :- 11am, Two Nests with Young! A total of Five young seen! There are probably more. The chicks seem reluctant to show themselves due to the cold winds!

29th May:- Evening, report by LM Staff that Two Nests have young!

28th May:- 11.30am, One Avocet on The EM Pool plus Fourteen on The Allen Pool.

27th May:- 3.30pm, Five Avocets on The EM Pool plus Thirteen on The Allen Pool. There are still at least Ten Nests and there should be young before the end of May!

26th May:- 11.30am, Twenty Avocets on The Allen Pool. Still Ten Nests but no young as yet! However an Oystercatcher on the same Island now has Three Young.

25th May:- 2pm, Three Avocets on The Flood plus One on The EM pool plus Thirteen on The Allen Pool. There are still Ten Nesting Pairs, (there should also be some Chicks before the end of this month).

24th May:- 5pm, Three Avocets on The EM Pool plus Fourteen on The Allen Pool. One nest has been Abandoned/Robbed since my last visit, however I have found another nest so there are still Ten Nesting Pairs!

23rd May:- 2pm, Seventeen Avocets on The Allen Pool. Still Ten Nests! Very strong winds!

22nd May:- A day away with Lancaster Fellwalkers

21st May:- 9.00am, Three Avocets on The Flood plus Two on The EM Pool plus Nineteen on The Allen Pool. Unfortunately One Nest has been Abandoned/Robbed, leaving Ten Nesting Pairs!

20th May:- 7.45-8.45am, Four LM Staff on the breeding Islands! I think they were putting temperature loggers on The Nests? Twenty Four Avocets on The Allen Pool. The Avocets went back to their nests after the disturbance but were then alarmed by a visiting Raven, then a Carrion Crow!!!

19th May:- 10am, One Avocet on The EM Pool plus Twenty Two on The Allen Pool. There are now Eleven Nesting Pairs some of which are only visible from the public footpath on The Causeway, or the EM Hide

18th May:- 1.30pm, Eight Avocets on The EM Pool plus Fourteen on The Allen Pool. Another nesting pair found. There are now Eight nesting pairs and Two more probables that can only be seen from the EM Hide!

17th May:- 8am, Twenty Four Avocets on The Allen Pool. Still Seven nesting pairs.

16th May:-12.30pm, Twenty One Avocets on The Allen Pool, there are probably more on The Flood but it is too wet to go to the viewpoint. There are still Seven Nesting Pairs!

15th May:- 10am, Twenty Five Avocets on The Allen Pool. There are now Seven Nesting Pairs, with more to come?

12th May:- 10am, Twenty Three Avocets on The Allen Pool. Unfortunately One of The Nests (the first I found on The Allen Pool) has been Abandoned/Robbed. However The female had spent too much time away from this nest in recent days so the eggs were probaby chilled!

10th May:- Two Avocets on The EM Pool plus Nineteen on The Allen Pool, however I could only find Six Nesting Pairs. There are possibly more, but if they do not return to their nests in a One Hour period I am reluctant to count them!

9th May:- Unable to visit today, however LM staff have counted Eight Avocet Nests! I found Six on the last visit! Meanwhile at Marshside the first Avocet Chicks have hatched.

8th May, A day away with Lancaster Fellwalkers

7th May, Twenty Avocets on The Allen Pool plus Two on The EM Pool. And then it rained, so was unable to Check The Flood from 'The Bride's Chair'. At least Six Nesting Pairs.

6th May:- A day away, however J.W saw Twenty Eight Avocets.

5th May:- 11.30am, Five Avocets on The Flood plus Twenty Seven on The Allen Pool. There must be new birds on The Pools today! Still Two definite Nesting pairs and a possible third nest (probably not a full clutch yet).

3rd May:- 12 30pm, Twenty Four Avocets on The Allen Pool. Much fighting over territory today. There may possibly be more nests?

1st May:- 12pm, Eighteen Avocets on The Allen Pool. Yet another Nesting pair found on the Allen Pool!

30th April:- 12pm, Seventeen Avocets on The Allen Pool. Zero Avocets on The EM Pool. All Four Nests seen on the 28th have been Robbed/Abandoned. (I have been told that the nests were destroyed by a Mob of Crows) A New Nest found on an Allen Pool Island!

29th April:- Twenty Six Avocets seen by AN Other.

28th April:- 10.30am, Twelve Avocets on The EM Pool plus Ten on The Allen Pool. New Recruits?

27th April:- 1.30pm, Nine Avocets on The EM Pool plus Nine on The Allen Pool, at least Four sitting pairs. There may be more nests but if so they can only be seen from above!

26th April:- 8am, Sixteen Avocets on The EM Pool. Several birds dispersed later to The Allen Pool! Very difficult to see exactly how many pairs are sitting at the moment!

25th April:- 1pm, Twelve Avocets on The EM Pool. There are probably more hiding behind the Islands!

24th April:- A day away with Lancaster Fellwalkers

23rd April:- 10am, Two Avocets on The Flood plus Fifteen on The EM Pool plus Three on The Allen Pool. At least Two Pairs sitting!

22nd April:- 7.30am, Five Avocets on The Flood plus Fifteen on The EM Pool. Looks like a sitting bird at last!

21st April:- 10am, Five Avocets on The Flood plus Twelve on The EM Pool. Several pairs are looking at Nest Sites but no birds actually sitting as yet!

20th April:- 1.30pm, Six Avocets on The Flood plus Six on The EM Pool plus Two on The Allen Pool. Ten less birds than yesterday, perhaps they were passing through, though the Fencing Contractors may have something to do with it!

19th April:- 7.30am, Thirteen Avocets on The EM Pool plus Eleven on The Allen Pool. There seems to have been a small influx lately, perhaps from the River Lune Birds???

18th April:- 12.30pm, Two Avocets on The Flood plus Nine on The EM Pool plus Six on the Allenen Pool. High Tide today but it didn't quite reach the Pools!

17th April:- 9am, Two Avocets on The Flood plus Eight on The EM Pool plus Seven on the Allen Pool. Three Pairs seem to be interested in Nesting!

16th April:- 9.30am, Seven Avocets on The Flood plus Five on The EM Pool. The birds have returned to The EM Pool but still no signs of nesting as yet.

15th April:- 9.30am, Nine Avocets on The Flood plus Two on The Allen Pool. I suspect there has been a Fox in the area. The Numbers are down from yesterday! The EM Pool has no Avocets and the pair who looked likely to breed have moved away!

14th April:- 12.30pm, Sixteen Avocvets on The Flood plus Four on The EM Pool plus Two on The Allen Pool. Still very flighty and no real evidence of breeding!

12th April:- 8am, Fourteen Avocets on The EM Pool, however Tom Walkington had Twenty in total so it looks like there are more Avocets in The Area!

11th April:- 1.30pm, Nine Avocets on The Flood plus Eight on The EM Pool. Only One pair seem to be settled, i.e. claiming a territory!

10th April:- A day away with Lancaster Fellwalkers

9th April:- 8.30am, Seventeen Avocets on The EM Pool. Again much chasing arround and fighting!

8th April:- 10am, Ten Avocets on The EM Pool. Much chasing and agression today, (amid all the chaos one pair seem to have chosen a nest site)!

7th April:- 9.30am, Two Avocets on The Flood plus Seven on The EM Pool plus One on The Allen Pool.

6th April:- 1.45pm, Ten Avocets on The Allen Pool. The Avocets are still very flighty (seven of the Ten were on the EM Pool at 1pm). There were no birds of any kind on The Flood! There is a report in the LM Log of Fourteen Avocets yesterday

5th April:- 9am, Nine Avocets on The EM Pool plus Two on The Allen Pool. The pair from yesterday on The EM Pool are keeping seperate from the newcomers/returnees. Weather wet as usual!

4th April:- 2.30pm, after the heavy Rains! Three Avocets on The EM Pool plus Three on The Allen Pool. The Pair on the EM Pool seem to have settled in nicely!

3rd April:- 1.30pm, One Avocet on The flood plus Three on The EM Pool. Where have all the Avocets gone?

2nd April:- 10am, Two Avocets on The Flood, plus Three on The EM Pool, plus Three on The Allen Pool, a total of Eight! John Wilson has had Thirteen Avocets reported (they were not there at 10am today)!

1st April:- 9am, Two Avocets on The Flood plus Two on The EM Pool plus Three on The Allen Pool. John Wilson saw Nine Avocets in total!

31st March:- 1pm, Six Avocets on The Allen Pool, all the birds were sheltering from the Gale Force winds!

30th March:- 2pm, Two Avocets on The Flood plus Five on the Allen Pool. Looks like Three Pairs and a Single.

29th March:- 9am, Two Avocets on The Flood plus Six on The Allen Pool. Are the numbers slowly building or are the Wanderers returning?

28th March:- 2pm, Seven Avocets on The Allen Pool. Not sure whether these are The Seven from the 20th of March or new blood?

27th March:- A day away with Lancaster Fellwalkers, however Four Avocets seen on The EM Complex (John Wilson)

26th March:- 9.30am, One Avocet on The EM Pool fast asleep. 5pm, One Avocet on The Flood feeding. The Question is where have the Six birds of yesterday gone?

25th March:- 8.30am, Six Avocets on The Allen Pool. I am not convinced these are new arrivals, they may be birds that have got the wanderlust and returned!

24th March:- 9am, Two Avocets on The EM Pool. They moved to The Allen Pool in the Afternoon.

23rd March:- 1.30pm, One Avocet on The Flood.

22nd March:- 7.45am, One Avocet on The Allen Pool. Is this the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning???

21st March:- 12.30pm, Five Avocets on The Flood. 2pm, Two Avocets on The EM Pool and Three on The Allen Pool. It was very Misty at 12.30pm and the whole Saltmarsh was flooded with a 10.63metre Tide!

20th March:- 10.30am, Seven Avocets on The Allen Pool, Status Quo! No flooding as yet but the highest tide is tomorrow.

19th March:- 11am, Seven Avocets on The Flood. I do not know where the other Six or Seven birds seen in recent days are. They may return???

18th March:- 7.45am, Six Avocets on The Flood plus Six on The Allen Pool.

17th March:- 9.30am, Two Avocets on The Flood plus Eleven on The Allen Pool. Perhaps eight Avocets have moved on since yesterday??? There are several 'Ten metre plus Tides' for the next few day which may?? cause some flooding!

16th March:- 1.30pm, Twenty One Avocets on The Flood. One pair mating! Misty.

15th March:- 8.30am, Eighteen Avocets on The Allen Pool. The pairing of yesterday has now come to nothing due to the new arrivals!

14th March:- Still Nine Avocets feeding on The Allen Pool. Looks like Four pairs and a single.

13th March:-A day away with Lancaster Fellwalkers , However, 9 Avocet at rest on Allen Pool Sun 13th at 16:30pm (Tony Riden)

12th March:- 10am, Four Avocets on The Allen Pool.

10th March:- 10.30am, Three Avocets on the EM Pool and very little else as there were Six LM Staff working on the Salt Marsh. (Strimming and working on the Electric Fence)!

9th March:- 1.30pm, Three Avocets on The EM Pool sheltering from the strong winds.

8th March:- A day away in deepest Richmondshire!

7th March:- 1pm, Two Avocets on The Allen Pool. Seen earlier in the day by A.N Other (Leighton Moss Log)

3rd March:- 10.15am, One Avocet on The Eric Morecambe Flood. The Electic Fence to protect the Nest Sites was being erected!

2nd March:- Fifty Avocets at Martin Mere, (there must be a chance that some birds will fly through to Leighton Moss)!

28th February:- Thirty Eight Avocets at Martin Mere.

25th February:- Twenty Five Avocets at Martin Mere today! Perhaps a few may venture farther north and visit Leighton Moss?

23rd February:- Thirteen Avocets at Martin Mere today, see Wildlife Sightings

19th February:- Eleven Avocets at Martin Mere, Some Mating! At the Eric Morecambe Pools (Leighton Moss) there is tidal flooding and no sign of any Avocets as yet!

17th February:- Nine Avocets at Martin Mere. New arrivals???

16th February:- Only two Avocet at Martin Mere today, Four Avocets at Marshside.

15th February:- 15 Avocets at Martin Mere, at the back of The Mere!

13th February:- 5 Avocets at Martin Mere, see Martin Mere Wildlife Sightings Five Avocet returned this morning. I think we are right in saying that they are the earliest we have had since they returned to breed in the North West.

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