Friday's sightings
A colder morning, overcast but as I type the sun is starting to burn through so hopefully another blue sky day is in store. The bore was just pushing through this morning so our Guides in the Hides will be checking the high tide period to see what has been pushed off the river. Fingers crossed for some new waders having arrived! Our first winter swan of the season also appeared this morning, a Whooper Swan turned up amongst the Barnacle Geese on the Dumbles.
Holden Tower
A raptor was being chased by corvids this morning and was most likely a Merlin. Out on the Dumbles were a Peregrine, 60+ Linnet, 3 Cranes, 365 Greylag Geese and a Cetti’s Warbler was heard from the reedbed near the hide. High tide should push Curlew up to roost, with over 200 seen yesterday.
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Robbie Garnett Hide
The Tack Piece held counts of 20 Lapwing, 71 Teal, a single Spotted Redshank (different to the Rushy bird) and a single Green Sandpiper.
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Zeiss Hide
Teal have increased again with a count of 1064 birds this morning along with 23 Pintail and 13 Wigeon. Waders included a single Black-tailed Godwit, 118 Lapwing, 25 Ruff, 17 Dunlin, a Spotted Redshank and an Avocet. Look out for more waders arriving over the high tide.
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South Lake Hides
Birds on the wader scrape included 72 Black-tailed Godwit, 28 Redshank, 231 Lapwing, 3 Ruff, 35 Shoveler and 192 Teal. Five Pochard (4 males) were on the deep lake along with 23 Tufted Duck, 11 Cormorant, a few Gadwall and the Great Crested Grebe.
