Black-winged Stilts are a scarce bird in the UK but becoming increasingly regular with at least one pair attempting to breed in most years. The last time I saw a 'stilt' in Cheshire was the pair that bred at Ashtons Flash, near Northwich, in 2008 - found by that late great Pod. I think the first pair to breed successfully were at Holme in Norfolk in 1987 and I've still got a signed print done by Richard Millington of those birds.
With several birds being seen around the North Wales coast recently there was an expectation that one would turn up at our local RSPB reserve at Burton Mere Wetlands. Sure enough, whilst on Hilbre, news came through that a female stilt had turned up and was showing well!
Having already planned to check on Swallows nests at a nearby farm I was going to be passing the entrance to the reserve so it wasn't much of a detour to call in!
I was soon watching the Stilt walk around in front of the Marsh Covert Hide on those impossibly long legs. With summer plumaged Spotted Redshank, Avocet and Black-tailed Godwits sharing the same lagoon it made for a nice little diversion.
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