Seasonal work in front of hides continues
The annual work cycle to benefit our birds and wildlife and of course watchers continues through the autumn, we will generally be working in one area (except in mid to late October when hedge cutting days will cover the whole reserve). We have 14 hides and numerous opportunities to watch birds and wildlife outdoors on the reserve, our essential activities may affect one or two hides at a time. Our birds will not move on but will relocate to another site for a time. Don't forget the hedges and bushes, lots of warblers feeding up at the moment.
This week we plan to be working at the following sites.
Tuesday 12 September
Tack Piece
Strimming vegetation to open up shorelines, views, clear water pipes to maintain the hydrology of the site. Also we'll be restoring two islands on the scrape, possibly creating another, mowing and rotavating some scrape edges, weeding islands. It will affect Stephen Kirk and Robbie Garnett Hides.
Pill Box Pool (Knott and Willow Hides)
Repairs to an island and strimming, branch cutting.
Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 September.
South Lake
Cutting rides, late hay cut, strimming islands, causeways, views from hides, clearing pipes, cleaning hide windows, animal health patrols, rotavating some shorelines, hand weeding islands and any other task that needs attention.
Sightings for today include
Middle Point
Whinchat and Wheatear at Middle Point fence. Two Pintail, three Spoonbill, Great and 16 Little Egrets, 150 Ringed Plover, 100+ Dunlin, 7+ Sanderling on the mudflats and a juvenile 'Commic' Tern, probably Arctic on the Severn at high tide. Sedge and Reed Warbler in the reed beds.
South Lake
Seven Ruff, Snipe, 140+ Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank and 400 duck, mostly Teal.
Top New Piece
Great Egret, 2 juvenile Wood Sandpiper, 11 Ruff, a few hundred Teal.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Two Garganey on the top pond with the Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler. 4 Spotted Redshank, 10 Redshank, 8 Ruff, 3 Green Sandpiper, 6 Snipe and 17 Lapwing.
And from yesterday...
South Lake
Seven Ruff (possibly 41 on site today), Pintail, 3 Redshank, 50 Lapwing, 199 Black-tailed Godwit, 212 Teal, 22 Tufted Duck.
Kingfisher Hide
Two Garganey among the Gadwall and Shoveler.
Top New Piece
Two Wood Sandpiper, 22 juvenile Ruff, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, Great Egret and 400 Teal.
Tack Piece
Three Ruff, 2 Green and a Common Sandpiper+ 70 Teal. Knott Hide- Ruff, 2 Little Egret and Water Rail.
Middle Point
Male Bluethroat briefly on the sticks from Shepherds Hut Hide, 4 Sedge and 1 Reed Warbler + 4 Reed Bunting in the reeds, 2 Lesser and Common Whitethroat and 2 Chiffchaff in the hedge, Wheatear and Marsh Harrier on the Dumbles
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Two Garganey on top pond, 12 Ruff, 3 Spotted Redshank, 10+ Snipe, 11 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper + Shoveler and Teal flocks
