First Osprey of the year
Migrants
An Osprey passed to the West of the grounds just before 11am today, it was mobbed by gulls but carried on it's way north. Six Ringed Plover appeared on the Dumbles over high tide with a Grey Plover and 4 Dunlin. A few Chiffchaff sang about the site.
Holden Tower
Two Peregrine, Red-breasted Goose and at least 61 E. White-fronted Geese, 50+ Barnacle Geese, 20+ Greylag and 15+ Canada Geese all present. Two pairs of Oystercatcher with one or two singles flying over the estuary, 21 Avocet early morning and eight male Lapwing holding territory with one or two females watching them. Up to six Cranes could be seen with one pair copulating. The Skylarks are busy on the Dumbles, lots of sparring going on and a few in song. Blackbird and Dunnock both singing here today. Water Rail in the ditch below the hide and Chiffchaff giving good views when fly catching.
Tack Piece
240 Wigeon with c30 Shoveler, c40 Teal, small numbers of Tufted Duck, Mallard, Gadwall and Shelduck among them. 23 Redshank, 30 Curlew and one or two Lapwing on the floods. Two pairs of Oystercatcher also feeding on the field.
Redshank (below) MJM
South Lake
Three Ruff, 300+ Black-tailed Godwit, 43 Avocet and a few duck on the wader scrape. Pairs of Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe on South Lake and the two Mediterranean Gulls were on territory among the Black-headed Gulls.
Zeiss Hide
Six Snipe, 11 Avocet, 8 Lapwing and a single Curlew early morning, c40 Wigeon, 22 Shelduck and two pairs of Gadwall.
Kingfisher Hide
Two Cranes, Little Grebe and 12 Lapwing.
