Did I see Avocets?

[Cowgirl]

Hi, just come back from visiting my sister in a village just outside of Ipswich. On the way back as I passed under that huge bridge (queen elizabeth or something like that) I pulled over & spent a few minutes watching birds on the muddy flats of the river ???? (tide was out). I saw some black & white birds. I couldn't see their beaks, but they had a lot of white, more so than black so I didn't think they were oystercatchers.

I've had a look up the RSPB id & they say south & east of England for Avocets, so I'm fairly sure they could be, but thought I'd ask more experienced birders (as I'm very vague on waders). Do you think they could have been? V excited that I may have seen them as never seen them before. Even tho it was a far off blur. Note to self, must get on with it & buy some compact bins , been meaning to for ages but other bills keep popping up .

ps defo not gulls, bigger!

[pressld2]

It's certainly possible they were avocets. I was at Minsmere on Sunday, about 25 miles up the coast from there and, for the first time ever, didn't see any so they must have gone somewhere!

But...

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

ps defo not gulls, bigger!

Avocets are taller than black-headed gulls because of the long legs, but they probably weigh less. Most other gulls are bigger than avocets.

Dave P.

[Wild-Woman]

They are very elegant waders.

[Cowgirl]

Oo thanks Dave, so excited to have seen them even if I couldn't see them properly. Gives me a warm glowy feeling

[faz]

sounds like it to me cow girl well done

[Tursiops2]

Hi cowgirl

I'd be a little cautious about that ID, if I were you.

I know the spot you mean, I used to birdwatch on that stretch of the Orwell (it's called "The Strand", btw) regularly until I moved to the other end of the estuary a couple of years ago, but despite walking it an average of twice a week for six years, I've never seen Avocets that far upriver. There's always a first time of course, but the birds you describe sound a bit big for Avocets.

There is a breeding colony of around 20 - 30 pairs of Avocet at Trimley Marshes SWT, and sporadic attempts at breeding at one or two other sites along the estuary. Small numbers usually winter on the Deben/Orwell/Stour estuaries but, in my experience, they tend to stay around the salt marshes on the lower reaches. Numbers can vary, and they seem to have been particularly low this winter, perhaps because of the weather early on. I haven't seen any so far this year.

I'm not saying it's impossible they were Avocets, just advocating a little caution. If you want the best chance of seeing Avocets on the Orwell, drop me a PM next time you're coming down and I'll point you at some likely spots. You will definitely need binoculars though, even if its just a cheapo pair of pocket bins from Jessops!
T2

[Cowgirl]

Awwww, well thought it must be too good to be true. Never mind, I'll privately hope to myself that they were . Next time I visit sis, I'll be prepared with a pair of bins . Thanks for the offer Tursiops I may just do that.

The gulls that were around were'nt big ones like black backs or herring, which, when I've seen them, stalk about or just stand still looking mean, but they were tearing/flying about & they had gull colouring all white with grey wings, maybe grey or white heads. I don't know gulls except herring, black back & black headed. Course i don't know waders either so they could have been waders but my gut instinct (which can't identify for toffee, but is usually pretty good at getting the type, ie gull or duck or wader etc)

Cheers for the help