Avocets and Tufted Ducks hatch chicks
It's been a very tough early season for Avocets on the reserve, perhaps five attempts by the two main colonies to get going, heavy predation of 100s of eggs by Carrion Crows has caused complete abandonment until they finally managed to establish themselves on the North Causeway and islands of the South Lake and large island on the top pond of the Rushy. Although some of the fringe nests are still losing eggs those that are nesting in close company have managed to fend off the would be thieves. One nesting attempt saw 23 nests with 3-4 eggs each emptied overnight, likely to be a Fox or Badger in this instance.
However, yesterday (5 June), the first brood of at least three Avocet chicks were seen on the Rushy. This morning, at least another single was being brooded by parents. We should hopefully witness a flurry of hatching on the Rushy this weekend with the South Lake colony due to begin hatching late next week. Hopefully the colony has some success with fledging of young again this year.
By contrast the Lapwing and Curlew breeding season appears to be over, post breeding flocks of both are building up with no young fledged this year. We await to see how Redshank have fared, they tend to keep well hidden in dense cover so time will tell. The single returning Green Sandpiper was still at the Tack Piece/Martin Smith Hide yesterday.
Passage waders are still being noted, particularly the Arctic bound birds on the Severn, flocks of 20 Sanderling, 52 Ringed Plover and 17 Dunlin highlight this today.
Other highlights included
Middle Point
The male White-spotted Bluethroat continues to sing from the perches and reed beds, still Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings and Sedge Warblers singing in the same area.
Our first brood of four Tufted Duck-lings on the South Lake yesterday.
As well as the waders on the Severn the high tide roost included-14 Curlew, single Common Gull, 12 GBB Gull with Herring/LBB Gull flock on foreshore + Canada Goose flock.
A Cuckoo was again singing around the Decoy Wood and Long Ground to South Finger, two have been singing all day, every day this week with female Cuckoo also showing well from Willow and Kingfisher Hides at times.
Tack Piece from Robbie Garnett Hide
Drake Garganey, 2 Great Egret, 41 Gadwall, Avocet, 2 Oystercatcher, Reed Warblers feeding young + feeding Greylag, Black-headed Gull, 14 Shelduck and Tufted Ducks.
Rushy Hide
Two broods of Avocet, pair Oystercatcher, 2 drake Shoveler, pair Teal, drake Pochard, 50+ Gadwall, single Black-tailed Godwit.
Martin Smith Hide
Juvenile Kingfisher fishing here again, it's been here daily this week, 2 Little Egret and Lapwing.
South Lake
17 Black-tailed Godwit, a pair of Teal, pair of Shoveler, pair of Great Crested Grebe and 28 Avocet nests.
