Reader Mark Sultana took this picture of Little Ringled Plovers today during a visit to the Għadira Nature Reserve, managed by Birdlife Malta.
He said he was lucky to witness and photograph these four-day old hatchlings running around and sheltering from the sun by crouching underneath their parents. Little Ringed Plovers have managed to breed successfully every spring for a number of years in this nature reserve.
Other birds observed in the reserve included Little egrets, Grey herons, a Purple heron, a grey plover and other waders.