A day for Wader's
With a sunny start to the day there's lots of waders to be seen across the site, with a count of 9 different species of wader seen from the Zeiss Hide.
Rushy Pen
On the middle causeway there was 63 black-tailed godwit roosting, with a 2 oystercatchers lurking among them. Seven avocets were seen with one still sitting on a nest. The avocet chicks are getting older now with them not looking much different adults now. Six green sandpipers were around but kept going in and out of vegetation around the outside of the water, and four lapwings were also around.
Robbie Garnett
Again more avocets, three in total, and lapwing, also three, can be seen here. With another two green sandpipers roosting on the island. House martins and swallows can also be seen passing over the water frequently catching insects as they go. Two cranes can be seen towards the back of the Tack Piece, keep an eye out for their coloured rings.
Holden Tower and Estuary
A peregrine was seen sitting on a fence post at the very back of the Dumbles. 40 curlew were seen out on the estuary and a couple of little egrets, and two grey herons were also sitting proud. A cetti's warbler was heard calling and seen briefly in among the bushes.
Zeiss Hide
There is a range of waders to be seen so keep your eyes peeled. There was a greenshank, a curlew sandpiper, a ruff, four green sandpipers, 84 avocets, four oystercatchers, 61 lapwings, 45 redshank and five black-tailed godwit to finish off. On the islands both a common gull and Mediterranean gull were seen roosting. Both teal and shoveler were also seen and a grey heron in the distance. Among the reeds just below the hide were at least six reed warblers flitting around.
South Lake Hides
Kingfishers can be seen darting part the windows and heard calling. From the Hogarth Hide a female mandarin was seen and our crane family is also around this area. Again more avocets, 18, lapwings, 8, oystercatchers, 3, and black-tailed godwits, 73, are present here. There was also a range of duck; 52 gadwall were seen, six shoveler and one eclipse male pochard was present on the deep lake. And of course a grey heron was also around.
