Last weekend, I visited the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary south of Vancouver in search of American avocets that had been reported there over the past few months. Avocets are a treat to see because they are quite rare in British Columbia. The protagonist, Eleanor Hutchinson in my upcoming novel Letters from Gerald also goes in search of avocets in Britain, (albeit the pied avocet) at the flagship nature reserve of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) at Minsmere in Suffolk. My novel is historical fiction and although Eleanor and the story are fictional, the presence of avocets and establishment of Minsmere are very real.
The pied avocet seen at Minsmere is native to parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. The species was extirpated from Britain until in 1947, a few birds showed up in the wetlands near Minsmere. I visited Minsmere Nature Reserve with a friend and colleague from the RSPB in the 1980s hoping to see an avocet. I was in luck and so I decided to bring the excitement of seeing one of the rarest birds for the first time in Britain into the story. The work of the RSPB to preserve the wetlands, health, grasslands and shingle was a major step forward for the conservation organization that I wanted to showcase their work in the novel. When Eleanor goes in search of the avocets in Letters for Gerald she succeeds and the reader is introduced to two characters that play significant roles in the plot. You will have to wait for the book to find out more.
The avocet became the poster bird of Minsmere and became the RSPB logo. Minsmere Reserve was ground zero for the return of the avocets and also secured a home for many other rare birds in Britain such as bitterns, stone-curlews, marsh harriers and nightjars. There are now many pairs of avocets breeding in various parts of Britain. The decision to use the avocet as the logo of the RSPB in the 1980s in promotional material and signage cemented in the minds of the British people the important role of the RSPB in conserving birds.
My recent visit to the George C Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary had parallels to my Minsmere experience. The Sanctuary was established to preserve wetland birds and has become a premier birding location in Canada. Like Minsmere, the decision by early conservationists to preserve the wetlands and fields provided a home to North American waterfowl, bitterns, harriers, owls and avocets. Thousands of people and birds from across the hemisphere visit Minsmere and Reifel each year. In case you were wondering, Eleanor did not make an appearance at the Sanctuary but you can see the avocets for yourself. Book a visit soon.
Stories from Nature 