A restored wetland in Cheshire is now home to almost two-thirds of the UK’s breeding black-necked grebes, one of the country’s rarest breeding birds.
Woolston Eyes, near Warrington, was previously a dumping ground for dredging from the Manchester Ship Canal. It is now the site of the country’s largest colony of the species.
Black-necked grebes are known for their distinctive golden facial tufts and average about 55 breeding pairs in the UK each year, according to the RSPB, external.
“It is fantastic to see black-necked grebe numbers increasing at Woolston Eyes,” RSPB ecologist Gavin Thomas said. “The rapid growth in numbers shows how effective targeted conservation action can be.”