As part of the ReCo project, two new mudflats with a total area of 420 m2 were formed last year in the brackish lagoon of the Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve. The material for shaping those mudflats was obtained by deepening the secondary (mosaic) channels within the brackish lagoon, which will also improve water circulation within the lagoon in the long term and help mitigate the risk of its eutrophication.
The success of creating new habitats is already evident this year. During the nesting survey in the brackish lagoon, 26 nests of the Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) and 139 nests of the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) were found, the highest number recorded so far. On the new “ReCo” mudflats, new nesting colonies were established just one year after their creation, with 25 nests of the Common Tern, 3 nests of the Little Tern, and at least one nest of the Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) recorded. Additionally, the new habitats have attracted various other bird species, showcasing the ecological importance of these efforts. As halophyte vegetation grows, it is expected that other species, such as the Common Redshank (Tringa totanus), Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), and Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava), will join the tern colonies.