Avocets over Lincolnshire

Another sweltering day, with the mercury hitting 30C in Peterborough. Pete and I made our trip to Frampton Marsh on the Wash, and were rewarded with a fresh onshore breeze which made the day bearable. We'd gone to update information on a a rare plant, slender hare's-ear, and were delighted to find two colonies with just under 100 plants in total. Unfortunately the species is not exactly photogenic, having tiny yellowish flowers on fairly straggly plants, many of which had been grazed by cattle.

Frampton Marsh is an RSPB reserve, and has a large colony of avocets, rather appropriate as they are the emblem of the society. Even though we were hunting for plants it was difficult to avoid these charismatic birds, or the very many little egrets which were feeding in the pools and creeks. We also had a good view of a party of ruff, probably on migration, the first time I've really been able to appreciate the subtly patterned plumage.

Avocets are a remarkable conservation story. They came back from the brink of extinction in Britain in the mid-19th century, and recolonised the beaches of East Anglia that were closed during the war. Avocets are perhaps the most elegant of wading birds with long upturned beaks that sift invertebrates from the water. Their black and white plumage is not their only striking feature, a they also have long blue legs that dangle well behind the tail during flight.