Great Wader watching over high tide.
Zeiss Hide
A good high tide (09.00 ish) helped to push waders into here. There were 61 Dunlin with 3 very active Little Stint among them. A group of 27 Knot roosted in a very tight group on one of the Islands among 34 Black Tailed Godwit and 4 Ringed Plovers. Other waders included 7 Ruff, 9 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 1 Green sandpiper and 3 Snipe. Newly arrived Pintail were flying around and the Teal have increased to 735 and Wigeon to 72 and 2 Cranes were in the Bottom New Piece field.
Holden Tower
Distantly over the estuary 5 Little Egret appeared, 25 Greater Black Backed Gulls roosted, the Curlew flock got up to at least 112 with a single Ruff among them. 111 Shelduck were almost all juveniles with still very few adults around. A busy flock of 400 Swallow were feeding over the Dumbles presumably as insects were flooded out of the saltmarsh.
South Lake
Great close up birding here again. The Godwit flock was up to 232 and there was 28 Redshank, 5 Ruff, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Dunlin and at least 1 Knot. 200 Teal and 110 Shoveler made the whole scene very busy but for many the highlight was 13 Cranes including the 2015 Slimbridge Chick just a few meters in front of the hide. Watch out for Garganey one was seen yesterday afternoon.
Rushy
There were 3 Green Sandpiper and 3 Black Tailed Godwits here first thing and 6 Ruff a little later. This pool is often better in the afternoon when more waders pile in, yesterday there were great views of a Curlew Sandpiper right in front of the hide.
