Golden Plovers in the sunshine
Great to have a little sunshine at last and the birds looking great.
Tack Piece
A flock of Lapwing and Golden Plover at least a 1000 of each but very mobile with some great aerial views. The 470 Dunlin a handful of Curlew and a single Blackwit were a little more sedentary. Some fantastic views of feeding Shoveler close to the Robbie Garnett and a great little flock of Redshank (66) and Ruff (22). The Bewick swans are building up in here with 72 seen so far today including some new birds. The Whitefronted Geese roosted here but moved to the north to feed with more Bewicks and even a small flock of Wigeon taking advantage of the new water channel and quality grass there. Good to see some 140 Wigeon close to the tower and over 600 in the whole field.
The 3 Water rail were thrilling everyone at the Willow Hide and a mixed flock of several hundred Redwings and Fieldfare could be seen distantly to the north.
Estuary Tower
The Dumbles was full of Barnacle and Canada Geese and the 8 Pinkfooted Geese, a flock of 130 Wigeon were on the Dumbles and a scattering of Dunlin and Lapwing all over. Two Buzzards, one a very pale bird. There were distant Curlew and Shelduck on the estuary and a flock of 27 Pintail. The long ground pool to the left of the tower is worth a scan, through the mix of Wigeon, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard and Tufted Duck.
South Lake
Lapwing 360 and a single Snipe were the only waders on the scrape everything else seems to be on the Top New Piece field. Some 67 Shoveler and 50 Pochard were on the main lake.
Zeiss Hide
The Blackwit flock all seem to be here with 335 also lots of Lapwing, Dunlin 95 and a handful of Snipe. A near return to form for Teal with 1132 but only 126 Wigeon. Two Goldcrest were watched along the walkway and a Cettis was singing in the reed-bed
