In recent years as many as three pairs of Black-tailed Godwits have nested in the Fylde at Newton Marsh. With only around 38 breeding pairs in total in the whole of the British Isles it's rarity puts it in extreme danger from illegal egg-collecting. Black-tailed godwits can lay up to four eggs in each clutch and their main breeding grounds are in the Netherlands, Denmark, Iceland, Russia, and the Baltic states. Black-tailed Godwits were at one time widespread, but loss of habitat and, more recently, persecution, has seen them decline dramatically in the British Isles.


Appeal for help to guard the Black-tailed Godwits - Volunteers needed to help protect Ribble's rare birds

Nestwatch Wardening 2008

Preparations for the 2008 Black-tailed Godwit nestwatch project are underway, and it would help us if you could let us know if you will be able to be involved in the scheme this year? The wardening rota runs from mid-April until June, depending on how many broods or nesting attempts are made. 

If you can spare a few hours to help the godwits, please could you complete the form below and return to Carol Coupe, RSPB, Rural Business Centre, Myerscough College, Bilsborrow, Preston, PR3 0RY. 

This will help to ensure we have all the information needed to register you as a volunteer for 2008 and to pass on your car details to the police. Car details are passed on to the police in the area, so they know that you are a nestwatch volunteer and not a suspicious person watching the nest!

A meeting will be held at the Ribble Discovery Centre, Fairhaven Lake, Lytham St Annes on 3rd April 2008, at 7.00pm.

I hope you will be able to be involved this year and look forward to seeing you at the meeting. 

Carol Coupe, Farmland Bird Officer


The breeding Black-tailed Godwits of Newton Marsh - a race apart

The Black-tailed Godwit has a discontinuous breeding distribution from Iceland to Siberia with three forms (distinct populations) being recognised of which two breed in Europe; the nominate form limosa and the form islandica. Islandica which, as it's name suggests breeds principally in Iceland, is currently increasing and, as it is Black-tailed Godwits of this form thatoccur in some numbers on the Ribble Estuary and elsewhere in the British Isles as non-breeding visitors, this population rise has been reflected in higher counts here. Therefore, it might seem likely that the breeding Black-tailed godwits at Newton Marsh are islandica which have chosen to remain to breed by the Ribble Estuary, indeed as many as 200 islandica regularly visit Newton Marsh to feed late into the spring. However, the nominate form limosa is the only form which regularly breeds in the British Isles, primarily on RSPB reserves in Cambridgeshire.

Since Black-tailed Godwits were discovered breeding on Newton Marsh their form has remained unknown until this year when, after good views, they have been confirmed as being of the internationally declining form limosa. Limosa breeds in the Low Countries through to Russia and is a true long distance migrant wintering mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and India.

But does it really matter which form of Black-tailed Godwit breeds at Newton Marsh? Well it may prove to be crucial factor in determining the future of breeding Black-tailed Godwits at the site. It is most unlikely that islandica will ever breed so far south and so recruitment of breeding birds from the growing wintering population on the Ribble Estuary is therefore not likely to occur. Black-tailed Godwits are long-lived birds so the same adult birds are probably returning to nest at Newton Marsh each year. If breeding success remains low in future years and breeding godwits are ultimately lost from Newton Marsh it seems unlikely that they would ever return.


Black-tailed godwits - spot the difference

Telling limosa from islandica in the field is not easy but to the trained eye a combination of features often makes it possible.

limosa, breeding female, Newton Marsh 10th May 2003 (Chris Batty) islandica, male in active post-breeding moult, Marshside, Merseyside 25th June 2002 (Chris Batty)
       
    limosa islandica
size and shape   larger and lanky smaller and compact
bill-base colour in spring   orange-yellow orange-pink
bill length   longer shorter
forepart colouration   orange-brown reaching to mid-breast orange-red reaching to lower-breast and belly
tertials and inner greater-coverts when breeding   plain grey (old, worn feathers) bright with orange and black bars (newly moulted feathers)

Help the Fylde Bird Club and RSPB save the breeding Black-tailed Godwits of Newton Marsh