Recent Sightings (3rd-5th Jan)
British Steel Hide
Storm Eleanor combined with high tides brought in many birds in the last couple days. With high water levels many ducks have been seen including 115 Wigeon, 135 Teal, 46 Gadwall, 10 Shelduck, a Pintail, 4 Red-Breasted Merganser and 34 Tufted Duck. The single Spoonbill can still be seen on the saltmarsh lagoon, as well as waders including counts of 319 Curlew, 4 Greenshank, 23 Redshank, 2 Little Egret and 143 Lapwing. Fifteen Snipe could be spotted on the Dafen Scrapes from the hide. Gull counts include 1 Mediterranean Gull, 35 Herring Gulls, 94 Black headed Gulls, 9 Great Black Backed Gulls and 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull. Counts also include a Peregrine Falcon, Grey wagtail, 2 Reed Bunting, 20 Linnets, c.10 Goldfinches and a Song thrush.
Millenium Wetlands
239 Lapwing, 34 Canada Geese, 30 Golden Plover and a Dunlin were seen passing over the millennium wetlands on the 3rd. On the Deep Water Lake there have been counts of 20 Wigeon, 15 Coot, 5 Snipe, 15 Gadwall and 4 Little Grebe. Also, 18 Great Cormorants, a Shelduck, Little Egret, Grey Heron and a Black-tailed Godwit have been using the area. c.60 Snipe and 2 Skylarks were accidentally flushed off the western scrapes. Around the reserve 1 Lesser Redpoll, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Bullfinches and a Jay have been noted. Redwings are still using the area to roost and many owl pellets are being found by the wardens, so keep an eye out when visiting!
