Peterborough Bird Club annual report Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | A* | Rare 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
2003	Rare passage migrant and casual breeder. Most records came from the Nene Washes; the first being two there on 20 Mar (JT). Up to seven present through May to 12 Jun (RSPB). Two pairs were resident on the Washes and one pair attempted to breed but failed. Nearby at Prior’s Fen GP, 2-4 birds present from 16 Apr-8 Aug with seven on 3 Jun (BHS et al). Two pairs attempted to breed at this site and one pair fledged two young (BHS, SPD, MW). On 29 Jul, presumably these two young and an adult moved to the Nene Washes where they were present until 7 August (RSPB). Away from the Nene Washes/Prior’s Fen GP area, a single bird was seen at Cow Pasture, Baston, on 25 May (DJ, GJ, JJ) and two were at Deeping Lakes NR on 20 May (MW).
2002	Rare passage migrant and casual breeder. The year 2002 saw an increase in records over previous years, although all records came from a three-week period in May and all but one was from the Nene Washes. At the Nene Washes, two were present from 5 May (MW, BHS, RSPB), 11 from 10-18 May, five on 19 May (BHS), with 2-3 present until 23 May (MW, SPD, BHS). The sole record away from the Nene Washes was a surprise record of three birds heading east at Ferry Meadows CP on 7 May (TD).
2001	Rare passage migrant and casual breeder. Following a blank in 2000, two records this year with two on the Nene Washes RSPB from 12–14 May (BHS) and a single at March Farmers/Garners Arable 8 Jun (RSPB).
2000	No records.
1999	Rare migrant; has bred. A single was on the Nene Washes RSPB reserve 1-2 May (TW). Another flew over Ferry Meadows CP 25 Aug (RH).
1998	Rare migrant. One bird was at Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR on 1 Jul (BC). Nene Washes: A pair flew west on 6 May and probably the same birds arrived back from that direction on 24 May. They quickly settled down onto flooded arable fields at Eldernell and were incubating by 29th. A second pair arrived on 1 Jun and a third on 3rd, with all three incubating by 9th. The first nest was predated on 15 Jun, and the second on 28th. However, the third managed to hatch three chicks on 2 Jul. By then, the pools on the arable had dried up and two surviving chicks moved to the reserve, where they did well alongside Lapwing and Redshank broods to 16 Jul, when they disappeared and the adults moved away.
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