A very still day
This mornings Birdwatch event (0800-1030hrs) went very well, very calm, still (if a little misty first thing) conditions made is easier to locate and watch species such as Goldcrest and Cetti's Warbler. Most of the birds of the reserve were seen during the session.
Cattle Egrets
The six birds were flying about the reserve at 0715hrs and headed East to the village for the day.
Holden Tower
Up to 400 Golden Plover and 350 Lapwing were joined by a single Grey Plover, 1 Little Stint and 30 Dunlin on the Dumbles. The Dark-bellied Goose remained with the Barnacle Goose flock and c40 E. White-fronted Geese were seen in scattered flocks. A Little Egret fished in the pool, a Peregrine hunted and 30 Wigeon fed on the grass. Later in the day 3 Cranes were seen on estuary.
4+ Goldcrest and Chiffchaff were present along the hedge/copse.
Zeiss Hide/Top New Piece
Cetti's Warbler and Water Rails were seen in the reed bed, flocks of Canada Geese arrived to bathe and drink and brought 6 E.White-fronted Geese with them, 700+ Teal, 20 Shoveler and 300 Wigeon were on the floods and grassland. A single Spotted Redshank roosted but also visited South Lake as did the 70 Black-tailed Godwit. A single Snipe was seen.
South Lake
An aggressive Egytpian Goose was attacking Greylag Geese and managed to clear the lake early this morning, many birds returned so 5 Pochard, 90 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe and smaller numbers of Gadwall were seen. On the wader scrape we saw 50 Shoveler, 190 Teal, Grey and Pied Wagtail and 5 Snipe.
Martin Smith Hide
A Water Rail and Stoenchat were the highlights here.
Robbie Garnett Hide
A flock of 50 Teal and a Grey Wagtail were feeding on the mud.
General
Another 6 Chiffchaff and 5 Treecreeper were seen around the reserve and calling Cetti's Warbler and Water Rails are on the increase.
