Big Tides on the way
Look out for the high tides 17-22nd September
The tides are rising this week, predicted tides shown for Sharpness Dock. Add approx 20 minutes for Middle Point. The mudflats will be covered a prolonged period so birds are likely to remain on the scrapes for a couple of hours or so after high tide. The water levels have been dropped in the Top New Piece, Tack Piece and Rushy to provide wet mud for waders and the South Lake is at a good level. The best places to view will be from Middle Point as the tide floods followed by the Dumbles and Top New Piece over high tide. To view the Top New Piece use the Zeiss and van de Bovenkamp Hide, to view the Dumbles use the Estuary Tower or viewing areas on the seawall. Waders should also come in to the scrapes. We have restrictions on numbers in hides so please follow all the Covid guidelines and rules. If we find that we don't have capacity to meet demand then an additional outdoor Dumbles viewing area may be temporarily set up to cover this tidal period.
Fingers crossed that we get some great birding, enjoy the September tides.
17th September 07:45am 9.5 metres (9.3)
18th September 08:28am 10.1 (9.9)
19th September 09:09am 10.3 (10.1)
20th September 09:49am 10.1 (9.9)
21st September 10:26am 9.7 (9.5)
22nd September 11:02am 9.0 (8.8)
Click on our Twitter feed for additional updates or to report sightings.
https://twitter.com/slimbridge_wild
Other highlights from around the hides this morning included the following
Top New Piece from Zeiss Hide
Three juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 15 Dunlin, 4 juvenile Ruff, 8 Snipe, 22 Lapwing, 380 Teal + Gadwall, Shoveler, 5 Pintail and Wigeon, Reed Bunting and 2 Reed Warbler below the hide and Yellow and Pied Wagtail on the wet edge.
Middle Point
Egyptian Goose and a small dark Barnacle Goose hybrid with Canada Geese before they flew inland + 2 Crane on the sands with 32 Ringed Plover, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 146 Dunlin + Curlew and Shelduck, 1200 feeding Black-headed Gull + 7 Grey Heron and 4 Little Egret as the tide ebbed. A Clouded Yellow was seen along the summer walkway. Peregrine on the sands early morning.
Estuary Tower
13 Cranes on the Dumbles.
Rushy Hide
At least 2 Snipe, 8 Lapwing female Wigeon with Chiloe Wigeon hybrid male and 35 Teal.
Tack Piece
26 Teal.
Knott Hide
Goldcrest and a few Chiffchaff and 3 Shoveler.
Grounds
2 Grey Wagtail around the Big pen pond and Yellow Wagtail about the visitor centre roof.
Kingfishers seen at Martin Smith Bridge, Goose House ditch, car park ditch and Rushy today.
