Once an extremely rare visitor to the UK, Black-winged Stilts are usually found in southern Spain, but increasingly dry weather has pushed the birds north in search of the wetland habitat they nest in. This is a classic case of birds being displaced due to climate change.

In response, RSPB formed the ‘stilt squad’, dedicating staff and resources to helping these gorgeous visitors colonise the UK. The RSPB’s reserves ecology team has been working with reserve managers to create purpose-built habitat at the likes of Wallasea in Essex and Cliffe Pools in Kent, where birds are returning year on year.

Cliffe Pools is proving the UK hub for stilts, and one bird in particular is becoming a regular visitor. This male has an extensive black head and cape, leading staff to give him the nickname: Darth Wader.

This year, stilts nested at RSPB Ouse Washes for the first time and, just this week, we learned that two chicks have hatched.

Jonathan Taylor, senior site manager at Ouse Washes, says: “In the Mediterranean, Black-winged Stilts are quite a common bird. They’ve got incredibly long, bubble-gum pink legs, so they look like a black-and-white porcelain figure balancing on stilts. They like to nest in shallow lagoons and salt pans, and in Britain we’ve tried to create habitat to match that and attract in more of these brilliant birds.”

Stilts arrive in the UK from mid-April and breed in May. As soon as they start laying eggs, protection wardens are deployed to guard the nests around the clock to protect them from human interference until the chicks hatch. This means the nest locations are a closely-guarded secret until the chicks have hatched. Predator fences are erected to protect the chicks from foxes and badgers, giving the waders the best possible chance.

At the Ouse Washes, after the recent wet weather caused water levels to rise, staff had to physically lift the nest to higher ground by building up a mountain of mud, and replacing the nest back on top.

Malcolm Ausden, RSPB principle ecologist, says: “Over the last three years we’ve been trying to provide suitable conditions for breeding Black-winged Stilts on RSPB reserves, through a combination of habitat management and measures to reduce predation. This year, these efforts have been rewarded, with three pairs of stilts hatching chicks on RSPB reserves. There is still a long way to go, though, before these chicks hopefully fledge.

“Stilts have nested a handful of times in the UK, but this year we’ve seen the most pairs successfully nesting in one year, so we are cautiously optimistic for the future.”

Mark Thomas, who led the protection element of the work, adds: “It has been a delight to guard the nests and see this species flourishing. I have no doubt there will be a self-sustaining colony of Black-winged Stilts in the UK before long, coming to a reserve near you.”