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15 May 05 12:29 13:29 UK |
A 24-hour watch is to be set up to protect a rare pair of black-winged stilts which have started to breed.
Wardens at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) at Slimbridge have decided on the protective measures after the birds spent the last 48 hours mating.
Martin McGill, senior warden at Slimbridge said: "These birds don't hang around, there could be an egg within two weeks."
The "exclusion zone" would protect the birds from people and dogs.
The pair of black-winged stilts have taken up residence at a marsh in Frampton, near the WWT centre.
It is believed if the birds - which have never been seen in Gloucestershire before - breed successfully, they will become only the third ever pair to successfully raise chicks in the UK.
The stilts have a striking black and white plumage with long bright red legs and a needle-straight black bill.
Black-winged stilts winter in Africa before heading north to spend summer in the Mediterranean and other warm parts of the continent.
It is thought they were blown off-course by the recent strong easterly winds.
'Huge event'
Mr McGill said: "They've been mating on and off for the last two days now.
"We have been having meetings to work out what plans to take as we've got to give the birds a chance to successfully raise their young.
"It would be a huge event if the breeding is successful, we are all very excited.
"We would need to keep people away from the site and dogs out on walks as we don't want anything to disturb the couple."