September arrives
On duty reserve wardens were occupied with events all day yesterday so we never found time to update the web pages so a double update today. Both yesterday and today have certainly had an autumnal feel as we slip in September. The hedges are full of roving tit flocks and warblers, look out for places with ripe berries or sunny, sheltered spots.
Middle Point
At least 6 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, 10 Meadow Pipit, 2 Kestrel were on the fences around midday yesterday, unfortunately an air balloon made a very low pass across the Dumbles/foreshore island and then across Middle Point this morning which cleared the area of birds. Parties of Yellow Wagtails did return to the fences, at least 70 were estimated among the cattle yesterday. The Goldfinch flock of c100 birds was still visiting the Tack Piece. At least 80 Curlew and Red Knot were on the stuary this morning.
Rushy Hide
Six Snipe, 30 Lapwing, 3o Teal with a few Shoveler and Gadwall with them.
Martin Smith Hide
Reed and Sedge Warblers.
Robbie Garnett Hide
5 Black-tailed Godwit, 20+ Lapwing and 30+ Teal.
South Lake
Large Greylag Goose flock including the piebald bird and the leucistic juvenile. On the wader scrpae were juvenile Little-ringed Plover, 180 Black-tailed Godwit, 28 Redshank, 12 Ruff, 18 Lapwing and a few Gadwall, Teal and Shoveler. The Spoonbill came in here over high tide yesterday.
Top New Piece/Zeiss Hide
117 Lapwing, 74 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, 6 Ruff (now 4 juveniles), 5 Wigeon, 2 Bar-headed Geese among Canada and Barnacle Goose flock (apparent Barnacle x Brent hybrid seen yesterday), 190 Teal, 1 Garganey and 14 Shoveler.
