Rare chicks hatch at county park

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A family of black-winged stilt chicks have successfully hatched for the first time in Britain for more than 20 years.

A pair of the birds, which are rarely seen in the UK and normally breed in mainland Europe, set up home at a Cheshire country park last month.

The creatures, which as adults stand 50cm (20ins) tall, are mostly found in shallow coastal lagoons and lakes.

The three chicks are the first successful hatching since 1987 and only the seventh known attempt recorded.

The recent mild temperatures are thought to have helped the pair which are nesting at Marbury Country Park in Northwich.

Richard Bashford, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said: "It has been a nerve-wracking few days waiting for the eggs to hatch.

"It's been such a long time since they were successful and we've all been hopeful with the mild weather, but when we heard there were three chicks we were overjoyed.

"Black-winged stilts have extraordinarily long, spindly pink legs and even at one-day old they are abnormally long.

"The chicks are a buff colour with fluffy feathers and speckles on their back and head. They have really long, fine beaks like a needle."