Black-winged Stilt breeds in Yorkshire for first time

Black-winged Stilts have bred in Yorkshire for the first time with chicks seen at Potteric Carr in recent days.

Four eggs were laid about a month ago and two chicks were spotted by a visitor on Tuesday [14 June] afternoon. It is believed to be the most northerly breeding success for this species ever in the UK.

The Purple Heron may have departed @YWTPottericCarr but we’ve gained some baby Black-winged Stilts pic.twitter.com/gJOjBDZjCt

— scotty (@PottericBirder) June 15, 2022

Andy Dalton, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Operations Manager, said: "The nest was vulnerable to predation by other birds and mammals, but the parents were quite aggressive in and around the nest, and have been busy chasing off all manner of birds. Our amazing team of volunteers and reserve staff have kept an eye on the nest round the clock to help protect the nest from egg collectors, who sadly are still an illegal threat to wild birds."

The pair arrived at Potteric Carr on 16 May and were soon prospecting for a nesting site. Visitors hoping to see the birds can visit the reserve from 9 am to 5 pm; it's a 30 minute walk across the reserve to Piper Marsh to see the stilt family.

Regular updates will be posted on the BirdGuides news app and at www.birdguides.com/sightings.