Durham Bird Club at 50
The county avifauna, The Birds of Durham (Bowey and Newsome, 2012) records that “A public meeting in late 1974 at Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery to discuss bird watching and recording was well-attended. This was followed on 8 January 1975 by another meeting and enrolment for membership of the Durham Bird Club began shortly afterwards.”
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We shall be organising various projects and events during the year to commemorate this special anniversary. These include a "Bird of the Week" feature, appearing below.
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Bird of the Week - Week 16
Avocet – Elegant Wader, Conservation Winner
​​(Photo by Mark Harper)​​​
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There’s still something a little surreal about seeing an Avocet in County Durham - its crisp black-and-white plumage, long blue-grey legs, and that unmistakable upturned bill give it a stylised look, as if it’s been sketched rather than evolved. But this bird is no longer a stranger here: it’s a great British conservation success story.
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Once extinct as a breeding bird in the UK, the Avocet made a cautious return in the mid-20th century, helped along by habitat restoration and protection. After decades of gradual range expansion, they’re now regular spring visitors to County Durham, with RSPB Saltholme, WWT Washington, and, increasingly, Greatham Creek, Castle Lake and SAFC Academy Flash providing suitable habitat.
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Avocets feed in a unique way - sweeping their slender bills side-to-side through shallow water, picking up tiny aquatic creatures with each graceful sweep. They can often be seen feeding in pairs or small groups, elegant even as they wade through the mud.
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Their comeback is something to celebrate, but their success is still dependent on careful habitat management and protection and breeding success has been limited in the County in recent years. In addition to avian predation, disturbance during the breeding season is a real risk to breeding success - so if you go looking for them this spring, enjoy viewing them from a respectful distance.
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Have you spotted an Avocet yet this year? Let us know where!
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More information on Avocets​
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E-mail: admin@durhambirdclub.org.uk
Social media tags: #DBC #DBCat50 #DurhamBirdClub #BirdOfTheWeek
#Durham #Birding #SpringMigration #BirdwatchingUK
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