Avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta

Local status: Rare passage migrant

Avocets are a conservation success story and as their numbers increase in Yorkshire, records from the York area will only increase. It is highly possible that the first breeding record may not be too far away, although the availability of suitable habitat will be the limiting factor. Spring passage seems to be the best time to locate Avocets in the York area, usually between March and May, with
smaller numbers appearing post-breeding.

Records:
2023: Wheldrake, 4th April, One over
2023: Elvington, 3rd April, One heard
2023: Hemingbrough BP, 1st April, Two
2023: Wheldrake Ings, 15th March, One
2022: Wheldrake Ings, 3rd May, One
2022: Bank Island, 30th March, One

2022: Thorganby, 17th March, One
2022: Wheldrake Ings, 4th March, One
2021: Poppleton P&R, 15th August, Four
2021: Bank Island, 5th & 6th July, Four

2021: Bolton Percy Ings, 31st March, One
2021: Bolton Percy Ings, 27th February, One
2021: Thornton Elllers, 26th February, One
2020: Heslington East, 28th March, One
2020: Hessay Industrial Estate, 24th March, Two over
2020: Wheldrake Ings, 20th March, Three south
2019: Wheldrake Ings, 4th August, Three

2019: Wheldrake Ings, 21st July, Three
2019: River Ouse between Poppleton and Overton, 15th April, One south
2019: Bank Island, 5th April, One
2018: Thorganby, 27th to 30th November, One
2018: Low Grounds, 26th April, One
2018: North Duffield Carrs, 23rd April, One
2018: Wheldrake Ings, 22nd February, One
2017: Bank Island, 3rd May, Four
2017: Skipwith Common, 13th April, Two
2017: North Duffield Carrs, 3rd April, Two

2017: Low Grounds, 25th February, Two

2016: Thornton Ellers, 29th June. Three
2016: Aughton Ings, 8th May. One flew south
2016: Bubwith Ings, 14th April. Two
2015: Clifton Waterworks, 8th May. One.
2015: Wheldrake Ings, 1st May. Two.

2015: Heslington East, 5th April. One.
2013: Bank Island, 6th June. Two
2013: North Duffield Carrs, 16th April. Two.
2013: Heslington East, 18th March. Two.
2013: Thorganby Ings, 18th March. One.
2012: Wheldrake Ings, 7th May & North Duffield Carrs, 8th May (two)
2012: North Duffield Carrs & Aughton Ings 27th April (four)
2012: North Duffield Carrs, 21st April (two)
2012: Wheldrake Ings, 26th March (one), 1st April (two), 18th April (two), 7th May (two)
2011: Heslington East, 10th May. Two.
2010: North Duffield Carrs, 15th April. Two.
2010: Aughton Ings, 22nd March. A flock of 19.
2009: Wheldrake Ings, 22nd to 23rd March (two), 4th April (one), 11th and 13th April (two). All thought to relate to the same pair.
2007: North Duffield Carrs, early March. Five.
2006: Wheldrake Ings, 15th July. Two.
2006: Aughton Ings, 20th to 22nd April. Two.
2005: Wheldrake Ings, 26th July. One.
2005: Bank Island, 8th June. Two.
2005: Hagg Bridge, 27th April. One.
2005: Wheldrake Ings, 19th April. Two.
2002: Between Appleton Roebuck and Colton, in July. Two.
2002: Wheldrake Ings, 5th to 6th May. Two.
2002: Wheldrake Ings, 25th April. Two.
1999: Wheldrake Ings and Aughton, 8th May. Two.
1995: Lower Derwent Valley, 2nd August.
1993: Wheldrake Ings, 9th March.

Unsubstantiated records:
2008: Wheldrake Ings, 22nd April. Four (Birdguides).