Local bird watchers have recently reported sightings of rare wading birds including avocet, temminck's stint and whimbrel on the National Trust's Tubney Fen, near Reach.

The avocet, the iconic wading bird with its up tilted bill and black and white markings, normally lives and breeds in shallow coastal lagoons around the coast of East Anglia. Last year three pairs of avocet bred on Tubney Fen, the first time the species have been recorded breeding at Wicken Fen or on the Vision lands. Nine avocets have been seen on Tubney Fen in recent days raising hopes that they will successfully breed again this year.

Three pairs of Avocets bred on Tubney Fen last year

The temminck's stint is a rare visitor to our shores with around a 100 birds visiting the UK each year. The tiny wading bird is most probably resting whilst on migration from Southern Europe to its summer breeding grounds in the Artic. The last reported sighting of a temminck's stint at Wicken Fen was over a decade ago.

The whimbrel, a large wading bird with characteristic long legs and bill that curves near the top, spends its winters in Southern Africa with around 500 pairs breeding in Shetland and the Orkney Isles each year.

Tubney Fen was purchased in 2005 as part of the Wicken Fen Vision, a 100 year project by the National Trust to create a landscape scale nature reserve and green lung for Cambridgeshire and the East of England, covering 53 sq km, from the existing Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve to the outskirts of Cambridge. The Vision will see the re-creation of a mosaic of fenland habitats to help protect and conserve endangered species of wildlife whilst providing a vast area for public access for leisure, relaxation, exercise and education.

Prior to being acquired by the Trust, Tubney Fen was used for turf production. Habitat restoration undertaken by the Trust includes the creation of a mere and species rich grassland. The fen has now been returned to agricultural production with the species rich grassland providing high quality seasonal grazing for local graziers. Public access routes have also been created across the fen, together with the provision of facilities such as mounting blocks to assist access for horse riders.

"These sightings have created a great deal of excitement amongst the birding community" says Martin Lester, Wicken Fen Countryside and Community Manager. "It's pleasing to see such a diverse range of wading birds including rare species on fen in such a short space of time since we created the mere and grassland habitat."

A new bird viewing facility overlooking the mere enabling visitors to view the birds without disturbing them was constructed over the winter months. The planting of a turf roof on the hide and screening cover will be undertaken when the birds have left in the autumn so as not to disturb them whilst they are breeding.

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Notes to Editors
1. The Wicken Fen Vision is being developed by the National Trust in association with a number of strategic partners including, Cambridgeshire County Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridge City Council, Department for Communities and Local Government, East of England Development Agency, Cambridgeshire Horizons, Greater Cambridge Partnership, Environment Agency, Natural England, Sustrans, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, The Tubney Charitable Trust and Heritage Lottery Fund.
2. The National Trust is Europe's biggest conservation organisation and looks after special places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland for ever, for everyone. People and places are at the heart of everything it does. 3.5 million members, 50,000 volunteers, 500,000 school children, and millions of visitors, donors and supporters help the Trust look after its 300 historic houses and gardens, 700 miles of coastline and 250,000 hectares of open countryside. www.nationaltrust.org.uk .