Return passage birds increasing
Image- Snipe on the Rushy- MJM
The summer return passage period is in full swing, a wide range of species have been noted this week especially passerines.
South Lake
Four Green Sandpiper from Hogarth Hide, at least 250+ Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Ruff, 14 Redshank, 6 Lapwing, 250+ Black-headed and a Common Gull, a few Pied Wagtails, feeding flocks/small no's of Teal, Shoveler, Pochard, Gadwall, Coot and a Great Crested Grebe.
Top New Piece from Zeiss and Van de Bovenkamp Hides or distantly from Estuary Tower
Eclipse drake Garganey (4 and 5th) and female Wigeon among 148 Teal, 12 Shoveler, two Spotted Redshank but all waders flushed by a juvenile Marsh Harrier, single Avocet, 37 Lapwing and 2 Curlew returned, pair of Crane, juvenile Little Grebe.
Tack Piece
Eight Little Egret, 6 Green Sandpiper, 3 Lapwing.
Estuary Tower
Two Ringed Plover and 3 Oystercatcher on the Severn with Curlew, Shelduck and Black-headed Gulls.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Spotted Redshank, adult and juvenile Greenshank, 9 Redshank, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet adult with juvenile, 8 Teal, 8 Shoveler, a drake has completely moulted out of eclipse plumage, very smart, pair of Pochard, pair Oystercatcher with 2 juveniles.
Pill Box Pool from Knott Hide
Juvenile Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroats and Garden Warblers plus the Reed Warblers.
Wild Safaris
Three Grass Snakes, Cranes, Great Egret and Marsh Harrier all noted.
Middle Point
Whimbrel
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Wild Safaris 4 August
A reserve fourth Golden-ringed Dragonfly, three 3 Red Kite, male Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, 3 Crane, male Redstart, broods of Shelduck, flock of Curlew and Grass Snake.
Grounds
Three Treecreeper in the Spinney Wood near Zeiss Hide plus 2 Sedge Warbler near the ditch.
Decoy Hide
Two Mandarin Ducks loafing on the fallen tree and a pair of Little Grebe nesting.
South Lake
Green Sandpiper, 283 Black-tailed Godwit, 45 Lapwing, 5+ Ruff, Spotted Redshank, 19 Redshank, Black Swan, 260 Greylag + Teal, Shovelers, Pochards, Tufted Ducks, Cormorants, 120 Black-headed and Common Gulls, Treecreeper by the Sanderson Bridge.
Estuary Tower
Juvenile Lesser Whitethroat, juv Reed Warbler and juv Chiffchaff in the bushes below, Crane on the Dumbles, Little Egret and 2 Green Sandpiper on the Pill Box Pool.
Tack Piece
20 Gadwall, 10 Little Egret and drake Wigeon from Martin Smith Hide. Spotted Redshank, 3 Lapwing, 5 Shoveler, 13 Teal, 10 Green Sandpiper, Little Egret on the scrape from Robbie Garnett Hide.
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3 August
Five Common Sandpiper from Middle Point, Two Red Kites and 23 Little Egret from Martin Smith Hide.
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2 August
Common Tern over the Rushy, 213 Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Redshank, 13 Ruff, 2 Avocet South Lake, two Great Egret, 3 Avocet, Snipe on Top New Piece, juvenile Little-ringed Plover on Tack Piece plus Sanderling, 3 Ringed Plover, 38 Shelduck, 22 Little Egrets, 3 Great Egrets, 10 Grey Heron and 26 Curlew from Middle Point.
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1 August
Juvenile Cuckoo in the grounds.
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31 July
Juvenile Goshawk over the Estuary Tower to South Finger.
