Tiny Dancers

We’ve had some truly exciting news at Deeping Lakes LWT over the last few weeks. A few weeks back, I found a female Little Ringed Plover sitting tight on a scrape on East Pit — a big surprise, as Little Ringed Plovers haven’t nested at Deeping Lakes for around 20 years, and it was late in the season for them to try.

I didn’t expect much to come of it — but nature likes to surprise you. Over the weekend, four impossibly tiny Little Ringed Plover chicks were running around, watched over by their fiercely protective parents.

For anyone who’s not familiar, an adult Little Ringed Plover is only about 15–18 cm long — so these tiny chicks are truly minute, more like little pebbles darting about on their wobbly legs. Watching them scuttle across the shingle was a real highlight of the season for me, and a brilliant sign that Deeping Lakes still holds surprises.

Even better, it looks like they have a bit of backup. The Common Terns, which breed on the site every year, have moved their already fledged young from West Pit over to East Pit — right near the plovers. With the adult terns fiercely defending their patch from potential predators, I’m hopeful their presence will add an extra layer of protection for these tiny new arrivals.