AVOCETS - love 'em or hate 'em?! (1 Viewer)

[blgp_birder]

Avocets really are becoming fascinating. It's great to see they have come back from the point extinction in the UK, but are they really doing good?

Well no, they're not. Despite being nice to look at, Avocets are an over-territorial and needlessly aggressive species, seeing off anything from phalaropes to harriers.
It is not just me that will say that Avocets have ruined Cley NWT, North Norfolk. The scrapes are generally devoid of interesting passing waders these days, purely because they get chased off by 'Avopigs'. Titchwell is having the same problem.
They are breeding literally everywhere suitable now, and now are in such huge numbers that it is hard to believe that the species was extremely rare not-that-many-years ago.

Burnham Norton has had a good year for waders, with Stilt Sandpiper and Red-necked Phalarope both lingering. Why? 'Cos they both got chased off Titchwell by Avocets! I saw it myself today, with an Avocet needlessly seeing off a Red-necked Phal at Titchwell.

So, Avocets - love 'em or hate 'em?!

 

[birdman]

LA LA LA I'M NOT LISTNIN'!!!!

Love 'em, of course!!!!!

 

[kingfisher]

Love em always have and always will, god forbid we ever lose them again.

 

[David FG]

Another anthropomorphic thread!

'Needlessly aggressive'? How does one quantify an appropriate level of aggression in another species?

 

[Blackstart]

blgp, are you serious, or is this a wind-up?

-Adam

 

[wintibird]

Are reserves like Cley or Titchwell created for us to see birds (the rarer the better) or aren't they made for nature? Of course it annoys you that you "only" see avocets (send some to Switzerland, I still wait for my first here) but that's nature. As long as a species isn't introduced we have to accept it, that the species takes its place in an ecosystem and therefore changes the ecosystem.

André

 

[Corax67]

Love em, love em, love em.

The elation amongst the birders in Gwent (South Wales) when a pair bred on a local reserve last year was immense - this year we have had a return visit & look forward to this being the case for a long time to come.

Long may the monochrome wonder wader continue to thrive ! ! !

 

[the bird]

the RSPB emblem... one of the reasons why I started birding...

Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em


And its great to see a strong population at Blacktoft, so close to where I live.

I remember seeing my first Avocets at Minsmere when I was a kid and I was awe struck, I see them now and I'm still awe struck.

did I mention I love em, love em, love em.

The Bird. :bounce:

 

[Jos Stratford]

Got the first ever on my local patch last year - a flock of seven and have to say I was quite chuffed with those. They maintain a very small breeding population on our Baltic Sea coast and I think it would be most welcome if they would increase a bit.

Karl, having scuffed my birding shoes as a fledgling in Gwent, totally agree with everything you say about the birds on the levels ...wish they'd been doing that when I was a wee nipper down there

 

[Vipers]

LA LA LA I'M NOT LISTNIN'!!!!

Nice one birdman. LOL

 

[edenwatcher]

Love em. Incredible thrill when 4 turned up here last spring. Seeing avocets from the living room was just unbelievable. Unblocked quite a few Fife birders too.

Rob

 

[JANJ]

Yeah, I can really understand the problem. Once I was watching an interesting gull, which I suspected could be a 1st summer Siberian Gull. There I was, preparing my self for a good long study, and then what happens? Well, Avocets of course, flying in, needlessly aggressive, if you ask me, chased the gull of, who was never to be seen again! I mean, is it asking to much, to be able to wach a probable Siberian Gull on the shores of Eastern Sweden in peace? There are limits I´d say!
JanJ

 

[Brian Stone]

Should we chase them off of Maxey GP when they settle there to breed next year?

I've heard this about Avocets ever since they recolonised. Like someone above said it is anthropomorphic to value one species over another, especially based on their behaviour. Such arguments are often used to justify action against a species because it conflicts with human priorities (e.g. Magpies are thieves, harbingers of doom and make the chickens lay square eggs so they are evil and must die!). We get the birds we deserve from the habitat we create (or destroy).

Enjoy 'em while they are there I say.

 

[Richard D]

Love them, and personally haven't noticed them being any more aggressive than say Redshanks.

 

[hughredcanary]

Avocets

Avocets are fascinating to watch especially the chicks
Shot taken at almley marshes shepy
hugh

 

[Blackstart]

There seems to be a bigger issue here, and that is whether reserves (or any natural areas) exist for birds and other flora and fauna, or for rarity-obsessives. I would argue that they exist for the former, and would suggest that anyone who doesn't like large numbers of native breeding species perhaps go to visit the breeding areas of the rarities they are so happy to find out of range.

They might be disappointed there, too, though, as there are a hell of a lot of "uninteresting" waders and gulls in, say, Siberia. And many of them can be quite agressive.

-Adam

 

[dbradnum]

Avocets are an over-territorial and needlessly aggressive species, seeing off anything from phalaropes to harriers.

I don't understand how you can make a judgement call on what constitutes "over-territorial" or "needlessly aggressive" - you're judging a totally different species by your own standards, based on your own ideals. OK, Avocets chase off other waders, but that's the way they are - I'm sure they don't perceive this behaviour as needless, else they wouldn't do it!

It is not just me that will say that Avocets have ruined Cley NWT, North Norfolk. The scrapes are generally devoid of interesting passing waders these days, purely because they get chased off by 'Avopigs'. Titchwell is having the same problem.

I don't visit North Norfolk as often as I used to, or as I'd like, but I think words like "ruined" are far too extreme - the reserves are still excellent for waders and birding in general. Perhaps there is a trend towards less vagrant species in the last few years, but there's no concrete link between this and the increasing Avocet population. Any number of other factors could be involved, and it would take someone far more knowledgeable than me to sort them out. If (for example) a long-standing warden at Cley or Titchwell believes there is a problem, then I'll take the point on board.

Surely the priority of conservation organisations like RSPB, NWT etc should be to preserve native habitat and species in a natural manner (though bearing in mind that certain species have particular requirements), rather than create some sort of artificial site which attracts more rare birds... Incidentally, if they went down the latter road, then I'm certain membership subscriptions, and consequently the amount of money for maintaining reserves would go downhill very fast indeed.

It appears that the debate comes down to deciding whether we want to see rarities at the expense of native British birds. Although I'm a keen British lister, and twitch rare birds frequently, I'm strongly against this idea - give me the Avocets any time!

 

[weather]

I'm for them too! They are rare here in Ohio and I saw them once at Sandy Ridge In N. Ridgeville Ohio. It was one of the most exciting species I have ever seen. One of those ticks that will always be remembered. If they become aggressive enough to rob me at gun point, then I might think a little different, but for now, I love 'em!

Mike

 

[Xenospiza]

Avocets are quite common in the Netherlands, and now it becomes clear why we don't get as many rarities as the UK. It's not a question of geography or size, it's those noisy, far-too-easy-to-ID Avocets. Only some beginners make the mistake of calling their chicks "phalaropes", because these waders can't stop swimming either.

But what really worries me is that irony is so very lost on the British nowadays…

 

[pduxon]

someone will have to tell the avocets that they are chasing off all the other waders because Cley was superb Saturday - certainly the best day I've had there.

Admittedly we did clock one chasing a Honey Buzzard along the A148!!!