A busy morning of migration
Visible migration and other sightings from Holden Tower
A steady trickle of Sand Martins through the site with a flock of up to 40 feeding around the centre and Sloane tower late morning with more over the Tack Piece, a couple of Swallows were also among them. Out on the estuary a passage of gulls all heading N included 5 adult Little Gull. A female Marsh Harrier flew through N around 11am. Two Wheatear were feeding by the cattle trough. Out on the Dumbles the Dark-bellied Brent Goose remained with 3 Barnacle Geese, the larger flock arrived from Frampton on Severn late morning. A single Redwing was feeding below the tower with a singing Willow Warbler and a few Chiffchaff in the bushes.
Tack Piece
90Wigeon, 2 E. White-fronted Geese, 12 Greylag, 2 Egyptian Geese and 40 Shoveler.
South Lake
The Avocets (43) and Black-headed Gulls (200) were displaying and nest building with 136 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 6 Oystercatcher and 6 Lapwing also on the scrape. 28 Shoveler and 12 Teal were also present. The Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe pairs were also on the deep lake. Sand Martins and a Swallow fed over the lake. The male Kingfisher flew past with a fish. The pair of Garganey were skulking in the rushes and second winter Mediterranean Gull around 1.30pm.
Zeiss Hide
50 Wigeon, 8 Gadwall, 12 Teal and 9 Shoveler plus a pair of Oystercatchers and the displaying Lapwing.
Rushy Pen
Pair of Oystercatcher, three Avocet and 10 Teal.
