Where do Avocets go in the winter (1 Viewer)

[THE SPARK]

My local patch is RSPB Marshside,Southport,England. This site has had breeding Avocets for approx. the last three years,my question is where ? do these birds disperse to after breeding, they usually arrive in March and leave in early August.

 

[delia todd]

There were hundreds, if not thousands in Poole Harbour last October, never seen so many together before - it was brilliant. Don't know if that was the whole of the British population or if any had come in from elsewhere though. Perhaps someone else does.

D

 

[Glenn McColl]

There are upwards of a couple of hundred around Breydon Water near Great Yarmouth during the winter,although the numbers vary.Breydon has held up to a thousand in late summer/early autumn. They can also be found at Cley and Titchwell virtually all year.

 

[robinm]

Plenty here in Kent over the winter.

 

[florall]

Yes, they head south and west, to where it's warmer. They used to go abroad, but as others have said, many winter now in the south of this country. Saw lots at Titchwell, Norfolk, in February.

 

[James Lowther]

The Exe estuary has a big wintering pop. as do some of the other estaries in south devon and cornwall

 

[Terry Smith]

Yes, we have sometimes as many as 600+ Avocets here on the Exe every winter. Numbers seem to be gradually increasing. They begin to arrive in early September and are usually nearly all gone by mid March. However, we do occasionally have the odd lingering bird in to the summer. There have been instances of injured birds staying throughout the summer months, but not as far as I am aware this year! The best places to view them from are the Goat Walk at Topsham, and the Turf Hotel on the west side of the estuary, just up from Powderham. Bowling Green Marsh seems to attract a modest flock quite frequently too, with birds appearing on the main pool at high tide, and also getting into the lower Clyst estuary by the viewing platform. They are rarely seen however in the lower reaches of the estuary, such as at Dawlish Warren or at Exmouth.

The Exmouth Birder

 

[John Butler]

Yes, they head south and west, to where it's warmer. They used to go abroad, but as others have said, many winter now in the south of this country. Saw lots at Titchwell, Norfolk, in February.

Hi Floral.

Many birds still migrate south each winter.

Each year in Donana we have up to 7,000 Avocets spending the winter months here. A small number, maybe 200 pairs, remain throughout the summer and breed in suitable locations.

Sizeable populations also overwinter at numerous other locations in Spain.

Regards from Doñana.

John.

 

[Karl J]

There are upwards of a couple of hundred around Breydon Water near Great Yarmouth during the winter,although the numbers vary.Breydon has held up to a thousand in late summer/early autumn. They can also be found at Cley and Titchwell virtually all year.

Ii reckoned on about 500 or so the other day i went down there, but when the tides out they scatter for miles around

I seem to remember reading somewhere (?) that these are continental birds, with the uk breeding birds wintering along the south coast

 

[Paul Wood]

There is a large wintering population on the Thames Estuary (Essex/Kent) and the Medway (Kent). In my experience Avocets tend to over-winter on large estuaries rather than on the shallow lagoons they use for breeding.

As far as numbers are concerned, I can only speak for Essex side of the Thames, where there are usually 300+ in the Foulness area (I do WeBS counts here) in October to March and usually 600+ in the East Tilbury area (my local patch), though there have been some exceptional counts here of up to 1,300, also during October to March.

Small numbers stay to breed in both areas and post-breeding numbers are already beginning to build up - I counted 210 at East Tilbury last Sunday.

Cheers

Paul

 

[THE SPARK]

There is a large wintering population on the Thames Estuary (Essex/Kent) and the Medway (Kent). In my experience Avocets tend to over-winter on large estuaries rather than on the shallow lagoons they use for breeding.

As far as numbers are concerned, I can only speak for Essex side of the Thames, where there are usually 300+ in the Foulness area (I do WeBS counts here) in October to March and usually 600+ in the East Tilbury area (my local patch), though there have been some exceptional counts here of up to 1,300, also during October to March.

Small numbers stay to breed in both areas and post-breeding numbers are already beginning to build up - I counted 210 at East Tilbury last Sunday.

Cheers

Paul

Thanks Paul and everybody else, my question has been answered that breeding Avocets in the North of England tend to overwinter in Southern England.

The Spark.

 

[Andrew]

As Terry says, the Goatwalk is a good spot. At high tide look to the far side of the river with a scope. Any other time you can even get them close in.

 

[alcedo.atthis]

"My local patch is RSPB Marshside,Southport,England. This site has had breeding Avocets for approx. the last three years,my question is where ? do these birds disperse to after breeding, they usually arrive in March and leave in early August."

Some additional info :-

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/a/avocet/index.asp

Regards

Malky

 

[THE SPARK]

"My local patch is RSPB Marshside,Southport,England. This site has had breeding Avocets for approx. the last three years,my question is where ? do these birds disperse to after breeding, they usually arrive in March and leave in early August."

Some additional info :-

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/a/avocet/index.asp

Regards

Malky

Thanks for the additional info. Do you think they will breed in Scotland soon ?

 

[alcedo.atthis]

"Thanks for the additional info. Do you think they will breed in Scotland soon ?"

With the "old" news on BBC this morning about the encroachment of the Sahara into Spain and Portugal, and the overall 1° European rise in temperature, we may see them breeding in the future. I am not sure yet, about historical records, but am digging. We do get sporadic visits up here in the North East, at the river Ythan and at Strathbeg. So one never knows. It is noted that some birders do not seem to like these birds. Some do. I am in the "some do's" brigade. There is an ongoing German study into Avocets and PCB's. It seems that they are consuming PCB's but it is not yet realised if it is during the French Atlantic coast, Spanish, Portuguese Atlantic coast winter migration, the soft foods which they eat, or the summering grounds on mainland Europe around Germany. We can only await the outcome.
It's an interesting study, considering the cross match with the past European DDT study, the diversion of blame from DDT to PCB's and DDE's, and the conflicting growth of numbers of Avocets over the last 20 years in Holland.
Science does not seem so transparent, as first impressions are made out to be.
Some info on the UK status below. Scroll down the right column and click on to the "Avocet, Non-breeding" and the "Breeding". You will get a pdf file with info. There is quite a lot of information on that site, found through the left hand "window pane".

http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1419

Regards

Malky

 

[ermine]

It is noted that some birders do not seem to like these birds. Some do. I am in the "some do's" brigade.

This intrigues me - why is that? Is this an aesthetic dislike, or do avocets charge around beating up other birds - the sort of thing that gets the likes of Magpies a bad name?
I've never seen avocets causing trouble anywhere ;-)

 

[Ivan]

This intrigues me - why is that? Is this an aesthetic dislike, or do avocets charge around beating up other birds - the sort of thing that gets the likes of Magpies a bad name?
I've never seen avocets causing trouble anywhere ;-)

Avocets are one of the most quarrelsome birds on the Scrape at Minsmere. They will chase everything away from them, bigger or smaller. This is at all times of the year and not just when young are around. The youngsters are as bad as the adult birds. This tactic when nesting leads to a lot of chicks being snatched by gulls. I am still a fan of them tho'

Ivan

 

[alcedo.atthis]

"Avocets are one of the most quarrelsome birds on the Scrape at Minsmere. They will chase everything away from them, bigger or smaller."

Avocets, like some other species, are heavily into "resource guarding". This would explain their intolerance of any other species being in the same location where the Avocets are likely to obtain food from. Guard what is there against all comers. Something about survival tactics. But it does not always work. Expenditure of energy defending resources sometimes outweighs the intake of energy. Nature is a fickle phenomena.



Regards



Malky

 

[Gonçalo Elias]

Many years ago, Portugal used to be the main wintering country / region for European avocets, with about 75% or 80% of the European population at the Tagus and Sado estuaries.

As far as I know the proportion is much different nowadays, any idea where I can get recent wintering numbers?

 

[wheatearlp]

I believe a number winter on the Severn/Parrett around Steart Island & WWT Steart. There were around 100 on Steart Island at low-tide on Saturday.