Out of place Turnstone
The most notable sighting today was a Turnstone on the Tack Piece, not only an unusual place for it to be it was somewhat out of season for us, it is an uncommon passage migrant with occasional flocks, this one obviously wanted some company.
Other highlights and notes follow
Rushy Hide
At least one Whooper present with the 50+ Bewick's Swans at dawn.
Martin Smith Hide
A couple of Snipe in the cut sedge areas.
Tack Piece
16 Redshank, 12 Ruff, 47 Shoveler, 430 Wigeon, 8 Pochard, 10 Shelduck and flocks of Dunlin whizzing through to the Dumbles, later in the day the Curlew flock arrived to feed and large numbers of Lapwing dropped in now and again. A Red Kite put in an appearance.
Willow Hide
3 Water Rail, Chaffinches, Blue and Great Tits on the feeders and a single Greenfinch in the hedge (scarce in winter).
Estuary Tower
8 Pink-footed Geese on the Lower Dumbles (look south beyond the cross fence that divides the Dumbles), 50 Barnacle and 30 Canada Geese but numbers increased during the day. On the saltmarsh shelf- 52 Canada and 150 Barnacle Geese + Peregrine on lookout from a tidal lo, a mixed flock of Pintail and Wigeon on the estuary. A Kestrel and Buzzard were at Middle Point.
The Golden Plover flock struggled to settle today, over 1000 birds were in the area.
Looking north into the Goose House Ground and Ox Piece (the two fields north of Tack Piece) revealed the White-fronted Geese, 3 Whooper Swan along with Canada and Greylag Geese and Mute and Bewick's Swans.
The Long Ground Pool (look east back over perimeter fence toward the grounds) was sheltered from the wind and many of the diving duck gathered there during the day.
South Lake
51 Shoveler, 35 Dunlin, 254 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Ruff, 310 Lapwing, 120 Teal, 36 Pochard, 8 Shelduck + Goldcrest in the tit flock near Hogarth Hide.
Top New Piece/Zeiss Hide
420 Dunlin, 170 Teal, 8 Snipe, 160 Wigeon, Reed Bunting on the reedmace heads, Water Rail and Cetti's Warbler calling, 4 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Redshank on the hide round, no doubt many other birds came and went during the day but we had no reports of the Bitterns today, probably due to the winds..
