Since late February/early March, after the main wintering flock had departed, up to 3 lapwing have been present on and off around the mere. Not the easiest birds to seperate but from the views I had it looked like 2 male and a female. On the 22 March a lone male was displaying and giving its evocative calls, no female was obvious. By the 3 April a female had turned up and more displaying occured. On the 7 April another male arrived, only one seemed territorial and continued to display, chasing off any other birds inc a pair of ruff, and a whimbrel as well as the more obvious dangers of crows and gulls, the other always kept some distance between the pair. The pair seemed to favour an area at the barb-wire gate end among a raised patch of sedge on what was probably the former southside irrigation pond embankment. On the 12 April the 3 lapwing were scattered and away from the usual spot and ominously an adult GBB was standing in the area the female had been frequenting. 15 April no sign of the female, both males visible (one would often be out from the Britton Hide, the newcomer was often on the grassy bank beneath the cottage or over by the Oriole hide). 23 April, 2 males with the dominant bird chasing off a herring gull. 28 April, first visit when there had been no sign of any lapwing at all and I began to think any breeding attempt had failed. Today (4 May), arriving early at 7am, it was a relief to see the male was back and calling loudly and swooping around out from the Britton Hide, a herring gull was chased off repeatedly and the female was also just out from the Britton hide pecking around, the first time I'd seen her since the 12 April, things were looking really promising. I kept an eye on the female, which wasn't easy as she was in the sedges and her lower half was mostly obscured but I persisted. After a couple of false alarms when a dunlin and then a wood sandpiper pottered close by, at 7:50am I noticed a little fluffy blob a couple of yards away from where the female was pecking around, it could only be one thing! A young lapwing, likely less than a week old. It soon disappeared. Amazing. A sense of pride and emotion almost overwhelmed me, what amazing birds. Back tonight for another look, just the male present, quietly sitting out from the Britton hide. Fingers crossed and may the force be with them.
Footnote: the mere has been transformed in recent years thanks to the National Trusts endeavours and Pete and Gina Smithies, at Trehill farm. Great job.
Dotterel, still present. 4 birds (2 male 2 female).
