Black-tailed godwits hatch at WWT Welney

May 2008. Four Black-tailed godwit chicks are hatching at WWT Welney in Norfolk, a very welcome success after last year's floods that washed away all the nests.

Nationwide decline

Thirty years ago 65 pairs of Black-tailed godwits bred on the Ouse Washes alone, but frequent flooding has forced a decline to just 50 pairs across the whole of the UK. Three pairs regularly return from their African wintering grounds to breed on Ouse Washes each summer.

WWT Welney Reserve Manager, Leigh Marshall, said: "It is vital that the breeding pairs, their nests and the newly hatched chicks here remain undisturbed, so we will continue to observe them from a distance. These birds make the journey from Africa here every summer and as the numbers are so few, each successful hatch is vital for the stability of the population. After such a disastrous breeding season last summer, when all the nests were washed away in the flooding, it is amazing to see the Black-tailed godwits return to Welney, where the Washes are managed particularly for wading birds, and successfully hatch chicks this year."

Black-tailed godwits lay up to four eggs at a time, so this nest could yield four chicks. There are two other breeding pairs on the reserve, so fingers are crossed for more chicks.

Welney rarities

At the moment there are 31 breeding Avocets on the lagoon, and the reserve holds 114 pairs of breeding Snipe, 147 Lapwing pairs and 62 pairs of Yellow wagtail.

More about WWT Welney.
More about the WWT.