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Reads Island
RSPB Reads Island nature reserve is a 60 hectare island in the River Humber, one of the UK's largest estuaries, near South Ferriby. The three lagoons are important for breeding avocets (6% of the UK population).
The main threat to the island is from tidal erosion, which may breach the banks that protect the lagoons. The tides also deposit silt in the main creek, which in time affects the ability to flood and drain the lagoons.
The main sluice used to be too small to handle large volumes of water in a short time (ie over one tide). Meanwhile, vegetation colonises shallow, open water reducing habitat, and adversely affecting the avocets nesting islands.
Reads Island is very difficult to manage. Access is only by boat so machinery has to be barged across, and the channels and mudflats are constantly shifting because of the tides.
Actions to address threats
A small digger was purchased and shipped to the island to repair sea-banks, construct internal banks and dams and other management.
The sea-bank has been rebuilt after erosion damage, protecting the lagoons from major tidal over-topping. Future rebuilding is inevitable because erosion by river currents is continual.
Each year, vegetation is cleared from the 30 nesting islands on two lagoons to create the bare conditions that the avocets prefer
Four sluice pipes have been installed to augment the existing smaller structure, allowing greater control when flooding and draining the lagoon during the tidal cycle.
The main creek has been scoured to remove an accumulation of silt flushing through at low tide using water held back in the lagoons. This now allows more water to be taken into the lagoons at high tide when required.
Ongoing management of lagoons
Each year, vegetation is cleared from the 30 nesting islands on two lagoons to create the bare conditions that the avocets prefer. Vegetation is cut back or dug out to prevent it encroaching onto the margins of the lagoons. Water levels are managed by letting tidal water in from the river as it is needed.
Survey and monitoring
Breeding bird populations are monitored every summer. Invertebrate monitoring is done by taking core samples.
Fifty pairs of avocets nest on the island, making Reads Island the fourth largest colony in the UK. But, perhaps more importantly it is a very productive colony, for example, they reared over 100 young reared in 2000. This is probably due to the absence of ground predators.