Crane drama
Crane pair Oakie and Sherbert appeared to have settled on a nest territory on one of the Top New Piece islands but all may not be well.
Cranes
Lots of activity around the site yesterday, regular sightings from the Estuary Tower. Oakie and Sherbert were tending an egg yesterday but it doesn't seem to be present today, the pair had also left the nest site which they were very reluctant to do yesterday. We have noted regular visits by an unpaired bird called Sedge, she may be up to no good as the pair were defending the nest site from her. There is a possibility that Sedge may have damaged the new egg in a territorial dispute. We are keeping a close eye on developments. At least nine Cranes were seen yesterday.
Other sightings from today include the following
Estuary Tower
Long Ground Pool- 12 Cattle Egret roosted but had dispersed to the fields for the day, the Cackling Goose and a small flock of Shoveler.
Estuary on the incoming tide- 2 Sanderling, 2 Dunlin, Great Crested Grebe upriver, Dunlin, 2 pairs of Oysetrcatcher, pair of Redshank and a few small flocks of Black-headed Gull upriver on the flooding tide. Little Egret, a few GBB Gulls and Shelduck on the foreshore.
The Dumbles- 9 Lapwing, male Yellow Wagtail with the Meadow Pipits, Little-ringed Plover and a few Avocet on the scrape. Dumbles- male Yellow Wagtail with the Meadow Pipits, 10+ Skylark, 9 Lapwing, Little-ringed Plover and a few Avocet on the scrape, 16 Curlew at the Royal Drift breakwater + Canada and Greylag Geese on the Dumbles
Three Golden Plover seen on the Bottom New Piece and a singing Reed Warbler Pill Box Pool + pair of Little Grebe. Two male and one female Linnet on the hedge.
Top New Piece
Pair of Cranes, Little-ringed Plover, 20 Avocet, 14 Shoveler, 17 Teal, 29 Shelduck, 12 Black-tailed Godwit, pair of Redshank, 5 Lapwing.
Tack Piece
3 Cranes, 7 Wigeon, 20 Teal, 19 Shoveler, 29 Shelduck and a Redshank.
Rushy
Little-ringed Plover, Avocets, Shelducks and few Tufted Ducks. A Dunlin flew around but headed back out to the estuary.
