Filey Dams: Avocets breed at Yorkshire coastal wetland reserve for the first time ever

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust said it is “delighted to confirm” that, for the first time, a pair of avocets have successfully bred at its coastal wetland reserve.

The pair are currently nurturing four young chicks. The only freshwater marsh of any size in the area, Filey Dams nature reserve is a magnet for migratory birds.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, with the support of local volunteers and the Filey Bird Observatory, manages Filey Dams for a range of species and manipulates the water levels in the scrapes to create the shallow water and muddy edges perfect for wading birds.

In 2017, funding from Yorventure enabled the creation of a new scrape and sluice, increasing the area of habitat for wading birds, and the installation of a new central hide.

A number of islands give avocets and other waders a safe place to nest, reducing the risk of predation from mammals such as foxes.