Date: Saturday, 29 June 2019
Time: 07:00-10:00
Location: Għadira Nature Reserve
Over the past weeks at BirdLife Malta’s Għadira Nature Reserve four new families were formed! Two pairs of Black-winged Stilts and two pairs of Little Ringed Plovers nested at the reserve in May and successfully hatched their young between the end of May and the beginning of June.
The two pairs of Black-winged Stilts (Fras-servjent in Maltese) hatched four young each, while the two pairs of Little Ringed Plovers (Monakella) also had a successful breeding season with each raising three young respectively. One of them is now busy seeing to a second clutch of eggs.
Following the disappointment of last summer in which, despite nest building being noted no Black-winged Stilts nested, this year’s two pairs – each of which raised four young birds – are a welcome relief. The stilts had previously bred successfully for the first time in 2011 and then for five consecutive years at Għadira between 2013 and 2017, before taking another break last year. This is therefore the seventh time that these elegant birds have managed to breed at our Mellieħa reserve. On the other hand, Little Ringed Plovers first bred at Għadira in 1995.
Although our nature reserves are normally closed to the public in the summer months, we want to share this spectacle with the public. We will therefore be offering members of the public the opportunity to enjoy the two family parties of the Black-winged Stilts and Little Ringed Plovers which successfully hatched and reared their young at the reserve during a special open day.
The event – similar to the ones we held last year for the record number of Greater Flamingos we hosted at Għadira during summer – will be held on Saturday 29 June 2019. The reserve will be open between 07:00 and 10:00. Entry will be free of charge, with no booking needed. BirdLife Malta staff will be on site to explain about the species breeding at the reserve and show the public around the reserve.
We invite you to come along to enjoy these amazing birds along with other wildlife you can find at Għadira!
In the meantime have a look at this latest footage of the Black-winged Stilts and their young at Għadira Nature Reserve in the video below!