Last week we spent a week on the dutch island of Texel, the largest of the group situated in the north of Holland. The wheather was fantastic with clear blue skies and a firm breeze from the north. I visited a number of breeding colonies, mainly habituated by black-headed gulls and northern terns. European Avocets, who stay the whole year around on the island, breed among these birds, to a great cost: in particular the black-headed gulls, but also Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls who fly over, will always try to snatch a chick away. Although the parents are very protective, their young will need to run for their lives until they can fly.
At the first morning of my visit to the ‘Wagejot’ colony, there were about 10 avocet chicks running around.
When I visited two days later, there were none left.
See also: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=65437 for reviews of this image.