Even wetter
Its been another miserable day for the weather, but the birds are making the most of it and spreading out across the reserve to feed in every available opportunity. A couple of nice peak counts today including 151 Snipe around the South Lake (with 90+ at the Hogarth Hide) with another 97 from the Zeiss Hide, and at least 3000 Wigeon on the Tack Piece.
South Lake Hides
The single Avocet remains on the scrape and this morning was joined by 627 Lapwing, 6 Ruff and 5 Dunlin. Over 100 Black-tailed Godwit were present first thing but they moved out towards the roadside fields were they could feed in the newly wet mud. Some birds also headed for the Tack Piece. At least 151 Snipe were around the shoreline of the scrape from either the Discovery Hide or Hogarth Hide whilst on the deep lake were a single Little Grebe, 51 Pochard, 39 Tufted Duck and 11 Gadwall.
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Rushy Hide & Peng Observatory
Bewick's Swans numbered 117 birds this morning with other duck including 119 Shelduck and 92 Pochard. Two Little Stint remained on the main islands throughout the day.
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Zeiss Hide
Rather quiet to start with before a large Lapwing and Golden Plover flock arrived around lunchtime. Morning counts included 97 Snipe, 700+ Wigeon, 4 Pochard, 8 Shelduck and 100+ Teal. Two Water Rail were feeding in the open to the south of the hide on the slubbings and a Grey Heron was hunting in the reedbed channel again. A Cetti's Warbler was also heard. The Barnacle flock arrived on the Bottom New Piece early afternoon with the Red-breasted Goose in tow.
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Holden Tower
The Tack Piece was full of Wigeon with a count of 2784 birds before they flushed, with an estimated 3000 in the field as a whole. Also present were an increasing number of Curlew, 120 Black-tailed Godwit and a few Ruff and Redshank. The White-fronted Goose flock was again in the Ox Piece and numbered 115 birds. This field also contained good numbers of Lapwing and Curlew. Two Cranes were to the north of the Tack Piece where a Marsh Harrier was also seen early today. A Little Stint was feeding on the edge of the Dumbles scrape amongst a small party of Meadow Pipit.
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