A damp and cloudy start to the day gave some great views of the birds on site as well as an otter which was showing very well between 9:00 and 10:00 this morning from the Zeiss Hide. It was last seen going into the reed beds in front of the hide, although it could be present still. Wader numbers have increased further and waterfowl are present throughout the reserve in large numbers. Sightings to follow:
Tack Piece
Wigeon 520
Canada geese 25
Redshank 2
Lapwing 2
Teal 175
Mallard 96
Reed bunting 2
Knott Hide
Wigeon 30
Cetti's warbler 1
Water rail 1 heard
Mistle thrush
Shoveler 3
Holden Tower
Wigeon 55
Barnacle geese 184
Shelduck 5
Canada geese 128
Tufted duck 52- Long ground pool
Shoveler 5
Great black backed gull 8- 2 feeding on a probable dead porpoise in the river
Golden plover 450- increasing in numbers throughout the morning
South Lake
Tufted duck 14
Pochard 18
Great crested grebe 1
Gadwall 1
Shoveler 35
Redshank 1
Black tailed godwit 3
Snipe 17
Zeiss Hide
Snipe 14
Dunlin 380
Redshank 4
Black tailed godwits 8
Teal 700
Lapwing 570
Golden plover 4
Reed bunting 7
Stonechat 1
Wigeon 950
Curlew 1
Gadwall 3
Rushy
Bewick swans 103
Greylag geese 60
Pintail 45
Pochard 30
Little stint 1
Dunlin 7
Redshank 1
Lapwing 14
Chloe x Eurasian wigeon hybrid 1
Ring necked duck x pochard hybrid 1
Asian Pen
Ruddy shelduck- Female