Increase in Shoveler numbers
Rushy Pen
At least 8 Ruff continue to feed on the wet mud, a few Snipe were hiding among the vegetation. At least 40 Teal are loafing in the shallows with a few other duck species present on the top pond.
Tack Piece/Robbie Garnett Hide/Martin Smith Hide
A bit quiet today, 26 Teal and a flock of Greylag Geese. It may be a good day to continue with seasonal work in this area.
Holden Tower
A roving party of Long-tailed (20), Blue (8) and Great Tits (3) also had a female Blackcap and 10 Chiffchaff for company. 2 Egyptian Geese were among 350 Greylag Geese but moved off into the grounds, one was on the Big Pen pond at 0930. A flock of 200 Barnacle Geese grazing the Dumbles.
Middle Point (Severn Estuary)
12 Sanderling and 191 Shelduck fed on the low tide mud.
South Lake
3 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper fed among the legs of 112 Blac-tailed Godwit, 10 Redshank, 5 Ruff and 200 Lapwing. A Snipe and Green Sandpiper were viewable from the Hogarth Hide. Among the increasing Shoveler (92), 70 Teal and few Gadwall a Garganey slept on one of the islands. The Great Crested Grebe and fully grown chick were beached on the causeway near the Cormorant fence.
Garganey (centre left) with 3 Teal (above) and 6 Shoveler (below and right)
Zeiss Hide
15 Shoveler, 550 Teal with a single juvenile Garganey, 20 Wigeon, 1 Ruff, 40 Lapwing and 2 Greenshank. The usual Grey Herons, Mute Swans, Mallards, Tufted Ducks were on the scrape.
