Making hay whilst the sun shines
The farmers all around have been busy making the most of the dry weather, cutting fields and bailing hay as fast as they can
The farmers all around, and on the reserve, have been busy making the most of the dry weather, cutting fields and bailing hay as fast as they can. You'll likely see them busy on the reserve too. They're an essential part of the management of the habitats and we work closely with them to get the best results for wildlife.
Today's sightings include:
Zeiss Hide
Two Little Grebe were around the reedbed island this morning. Across the scrape were 59 Lapwing, three Black-tailed Godwit, nine Redshank, seven Ruff (including four juveniles), three Green Sandpiper and two Snipe. A flock of 171 Barnacle Geese settled briefly including several colour-ringed birds along with the returning Ross’s Goose and Snow Goose x Bar-headed Goose hybrid. Duck included 190 Teal and 15 Shoveler.
Kingfisher Hide
Two Garganey were on the pond this morning with 33 Gadwall and a Shoveler.
Rushy Hide
All four Spotted Redshank were on the lower pond this morning amongst the godwit flock, before three flew over the hedge to the Tack Piece. At least 15 Snipe were along the causeway, the Black-tailed Godwit flock included 205 Black-tailed Godwit (of which ten were juveniles and four Ruff were also counted.
Middle Point
The four Spoonbill were again on the estuary this morning. A flock of eight Ringed Plover and a Sanderling dropped in to view, and at least 67 Curlew were noted including 38 birds up on the Dumbles feeding in the areas recently cut for hay. This group including three colour-ringed birds - two from the WWT Severn & Avon Vale project and a head-started bird released on the reserve in 2019. Several of the birds from the Severn & Avon Vale project are satellite-tagged and you can follow their movements on our website here. Also on the estuary were 75 Shelduck, a Great Egret, three Grey Heron and two Little Egret. A Turnstone was seen later in the morning.
Estuary Tower
Our Cranes have now gathered back together for the autumn, with 15 birds on the edge of the riverbank this morning, including a family with their juvenile, and at least three unringed birds. Three Buzzard were perched on the haystacks across the Dumbles including a noisy begging juveniles. A Kestrel and Peregrine were also seen.
South Lake
Two Green Sandpiper were on the duck marsh from the Hogarth Hide this morning along with a Snipe, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, a juvenile Ruff and five Black-tailed Godwit. Over on the wader scrape were 16 Redshank, another eight Ruff and another 45 Black-tailed Godwit. Four Cattle Egret dropped in mid-morning.
Wild Safari
Due to the weather forecast we only ran a morning Wild Safari today. Highlights included a Hobby, four Grass Snakes and a Slow Worm, three Cranes, two Great Egret, two Spoonbill and three Roe Deer.
