Overnight arrivals
** Update **: Spotted Crake showing well on and off from Van de Bovenkamp Hide. Volunteers on site to help.
An obvious increase in Wigeon overnight on the Top New Piece with at least 520 birds present this morning from the Zeiss Hide. A Wood Sandpiper was also present along with the Spotted Redshank.
Rushy Pen
Please note - some disturbance today as we get the area ready for our winter birds. The rest of the reserve has some excellent birding so still worth a visit.
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Zeiss Hide
In addition to the 520 Wigeon, also seen were 1000+ flock of Teal were 3 Pintail and 17 Shoveler. Wader activity was great this morning with 11 species present including the Spotted Redshank, a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Little Stint, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 105 Dunlin, 7 Ruff, 53 Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Snipe, 43 Lapwing and 7 Redshank. A Peregrine flew over and out to the river causing a brief moment of panic, but the birds appeared to settle again on the pool. A Cetti's Warbler was also showing along the fence line in front of the hide and a juvenile Reed Warbler was foraging in the reedbed.
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South Lake Hides
Waders included 110 Black-tailed Godwits, 25 Redshank, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 11 Ruff, 130 Lapwing and a Green Sandpiper. The Snipe especially have been giving excellent views recently just a few feet in front of the hide windows.
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Holden Walkway and Tower
Visible out on the river were 35 Shelduck, 4 Curlew and 18 Cormorant. Hide tide is around lunchtime today so we'll see what else turns up here and from the Zeiss Hide. Several Blackcap and Chiffchaff were foraging along the hedgerow in front of the Knott Hide with a Lesser Whitethroat mixed in for good measure.
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