A drizzly end to a wet week
Numbers of wintering birds continue to increase despite the wet weather.
Numbers of wintering birds continue to increase despite the wet weather of late. This week we've seen rain, drizzle, the odd bit of sunshine and even a thunderstorm on Wednesday complete with hail! Duck numbers are gradually increasing, along with waders - most notably Lapwing. Next week we will see the weather becoming more settled and turning easterly, which should bring more winter arrivals including our first Bewick's Swans!
Robbie Garnett Hide
The Tack Piece held 115 Teal, 19 Redshank, 17 Wigeon and four Lapwing this morning.
Rushy Hide
A noticeable increase in duck numbers with Tufted Duck alone increasing from around 60 birds yesterday to at least 125 this morning. At least 37 Pochard and 35 Pintail were also present along with Shelduck, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall and a couple of Shoveler.
Estuary Tower
A difficult morning for counting with the mist and rain impeding visibility. The scrape held 305 Wigeon and 186 Teal with more Wigeon further out in the murk on the floodwater. Out on the riverbank were at least 51 Great Black-backed Gulls in the roost and spread across the Dumbles were at least 19 White-fronted Geese mixed in amongst the Greylags.
The Golden Plover flock are generally arriving by 9am, settling on the Dumbles with the Lapwing. A few are also moving to the Top New Piece, viewed from the Zeiss Hide. These birds spend the night on the Cotswold feeding and come here to roost and bathe during the day.
Zeiss Hide
Nine White-fronted Geese were in the Bottom New Piece, also viewable from the Kingfisher Hide. On the Top New Piece amongst the duck were 141 Dunlin, a single Little Stint and two Redshank. Two Buzzard were on a carcass, which looked like a goose. A Water Rail was seen below the hide in the reedbed rides.
South Lake
A Kingfisher was seen on the deep lake which also held 31 Pochard and 73 Tufted, along with seven Cormorants roosting on the rails. The wader scrape held 44 Black-tailed Godwit, 26 Shoveler, 250 Teal, 163 Lapwing, and a Grey Heron.
