Avocets from the canal - Thursday 6th June 2013

Today we visited Upton Warren Nature Reserve which is home to the largest inland colony of Avocets and currently has around 25 adult Avocet and 32 young from 10 broods (with 3 birds still sitting).  The Reserve is just a short bus ride from Droitwich Basin or a short walk from the Canal at Stoke Works and is well worth a visit if you like birds.
There are three pools divided by the River Salwarpe with the Flashes being a saline pool hence the nesting of the Avocets, the Sailing Pool and Moors Pool are both deeper and natural water and hence are home to a different range of birds. There are several hides which gave us a good close view of the pool and the birds.
The Avocet is a lovely black and white bird with a really long curved delicate beak.

Its chicks have to fend for themselves almost from day one and so they were a delight to watch feeding on the shore line in the shallows.

There are a lot Terns on the pool which always seem get in on the act.

We saw a wide range of birds, too many to mention here, but including these Shell Duck and Ringed Plovers which I photographed.