And while this doesn’t sound like the most positive news, the low water level has brought back a species which hasn’t been seen at Brockholes for a number of years.

The little ringed plover nests on bare gravel around flooded gravel pits, sandy riverbanks and reservoirs. When the water level at Brockholes has been at its highest, the islands have been too water covered for the little ringed plovers to breed. However, with the levels currently at their lowest since Brockholes opened in 2011, this beautiful little plover has returned with a late brood of two chicks.

The dry weather, combined with the highly vegetated islands and bare ground has provided perfect feeding conditions, and we are proud to say the chicks have been seen out and about with their parents more than a week after the initial sighting.