Among the most numerous birds we saw on our recent holiday in Norfolk were avocets. These elegant waders stand out with their black and white plumage, upturned black bill and sky blue legs. It is no surprise that the RSPB chose it for their corporate logo.

The icing on the cake was some good views of a juvenile avocet. It was pottering about the pond expertly skimming food from the surface like a pro. A parent bird was never far away however.

Avocets are a great conservation success story. They were extinct in the UK during the 19th century but this beautiful bird was given a lifeline during the Second World War when it was able to recolonise the beaches of East Anglia which were closed and flooded as a defence against invasion.