THIN-EGG SYNDROME IS TAKING ITS TOLL ON UK'S BREEDING BLACK-TAILED GODWITS

 

Black-tailed godwit - incubation woes

WHY is incubation so problematic among the few black-tailed godwits that breed in the UK?

According to researcher Dr Nicola Hemmings, of Sheffield University, failure tends to come when hatching of the eggs is imminent.

Investigations have revealed that the shells of failed eggs are 10 per cent thinner than they ought to be, largely because of lack of water content, causing an imbalance with the embryo.

It is possible that contaminants in the birds' food source might be a factor in the malfunction, but  more research is needed.

Dr Hemmings said a project involving 'headstarting' - hatching eggs in a humidity-controlled incubator, then hand-rearing chicks prior to releasing the young birds into the wild - had proved "super-successful" but was too labour-intensive to be sustainable.

Happily, black-tailed godwits seem to be breeding with far more success in Iceland and the Nordic countries which helps to explain why they are so common on the muddy habitats in and around estuaries such as the Humber during late summer, autumn and winter.

Dr Hemmings made her comments in her presentation during a conference on saltmarsh ecology, art and poetry held earlier today at a room in the library in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire.

Quizzed on the topical subject of avian flu, she described what was happing to seabirds as "horrific" and hence the current focus of a huge number of scientists.

She understood the illness to be most prevalent among colony breeders, such as gannets and terns, rather than, for instance, waders that tend to nest further apart.

The conference was also treated to fascinating talks on  saltmarsh wildflowers by Mick Binnion and by poet Harriet Tarlow and artist Judith Tucker on how their uniquely creative work  is inspired by time spent on saltmarshes such as the RSPB reserve between Humberston Fitties and Tetney, near Cleethorpes.

Earlier, there were  presentation from Veronica Sekules on her work as an environmental activist and as curator of her own gallery in Kings Lynn, North Norfolk, plus artist Linda Ingham, many of  of whose breathtaking landscape studies have been of the RSPB reserves at Blacktoft Sands and Saltholme, near Middlesbrough on  Teesside.

It is hoped that some or all of the speakers will also involved in family-orientated creative events being lined up for July 27-29 at RSPB Tetney Marshes.