73 species of bird on the hide round including Goldeneye!
The last day of the year offered up a couple of scarcer winter visitors, a female Goldeneye materialised among the throng of diving ducks on the Rushy and the Merlin was seen again for the second day running on the Dumbles, this time managing to catch a passerine.
A quick hide round proved very productive with at least 73 species of bird recorded, hopefully we can do even better tomorrow and start the new year off with a few more.
Estuary Tower
Merlin on driftwood and grass mounds along the Dumbles foreshore, 8 Pink-footed Geese on the saltmarsh with 2 Barnacle Geese, female Marsh Harrier past heading NE.
Top New Piece/Zeiss Hide
A hunting female Marsh Harrier spooked 380 Wigeon, 260 Teal, 400 Dunlin and 450 Lapwing mid morning. 3 Reed Bunting, 5 Snipe, Water Rail and Cetti's Warbler were seen below the hide in or close to the reedbed.
South Lake
86 Shoveler, 3 Snipe, 290+ Black-tailed Godwit, 67 Teal, 9 Cormorant + Pochard and Tufted Ducks on deep lake.
Willow Hide
Great-spotted Woodpecker on the feeders + 2 Water Rail foraging below
Spinney/South Finger gate
Also of note were a pair of Blackcap near the "airlock" gate at the South Finger and Treecreeper calling from the adjacent Spinney Wood
