Avocets prospecting on South Lake
Avocets over the grounds
Rushy Hide
A couple more Avocet pairs were looking at potential nest sites to add to the two pairs already nesting. A few Black-tailed Godwit and a pair of Oystercatcher also present. 20+ Shelduck, 10+ Tufted Duck as well as Mallard, Greylag Geese and the female Wigeon on the pools. A 2cy Mediterranean Gull was among the Black-headed Gull.
Tack Piece
The drake Wigeon, two broods of Lapwing (2 and 3) as well as a few more perhaps looking to settle down on the field. Four Oystercatcher together were rather unusual, up to eight Avocet on the scrape with 9 Gadwall. Loafing on the field were 49 Shelduck, 21 Canada Geese and 45 Greylag Geese.
Holden Tower
The Peregrine pair worked in tandem to take an unwary Woodpigeon. At least one Curlew, 18 Shelduck, pair of Oystercatcher, 6 Lapwing + brood, 50+ Avocet + broods of 3 and 2. The usual Skylarks were singing and hovering over the salt pasture.
Middle Point/ Severn Estuary
A single breeding plumage Sanderling flew N over the tide, two Avocet and 18 Shelduck were on the shoreline. Sedge and Reed Warblers were singing in the reeds and Meadow Pipit were on the posts.
South Lake
64 Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Avocet (one pair nest building on the duck marsh islands), a pair of Oystercatcher with chicks, pair of Lapwing mating and pair of Shoveler feeding on the wader scrape. The Mediterranean Gull pair are still sitting among the Black-headed Gull colony.
Zeiss Hide/Top New Piece
12 Avocet and the Crane on the flood, 5 male and 2 female Shoveler, drake Wigeon, 8 drake Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe and the Lapwings, both chicks and incubating birds are still present. Singing Cuckoo, Reed Bunting and Reed and Sedge Warblers could be heard.
