Sightings and news to week ending 13 April
An ongoing record of what's been seen around the reserve.
South Lake
65 Black-tailed Godwit, 81 Avocet, Common Sandpiper, 3 pairs of Oystercatcher, 1 Snipe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 20 Tufted Duck, Black headed Gull colony in full noisy swing, 2 Little Ringed Plover also visited before 10:00am.
Estuary Tower
2 Whimbrel, 17 Curlew, Skylarks, 6 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Ringed Plover on scrape before 10:00am (likely to be one very mobile pair on site).
Martin Smith Hide
Kingfisher briefly flew by, Reed Warbler singing, 9 Shelduck
Estuary walkway/Knott Hide
Alive with Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, Wren, Cetti’s Warbler,
Zeiss Hide
8 Avocet, 2 Ruff, Redshank, 10 Teal, 3 pair of Tufted Duck. Sedge and Cetti's Warbler, Reed Bunting, pair of Oystercatcher and incubating Crane on the island.
South Finger Walkway
Cettis, 2 Blackcap, 2 Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and Chiffchaff for your warbler fix. Stock Dove and changeover from Kingfisher pair.
Robbie Garnett Hide
Juvenile Spoonbill, 28 Shelduck, 17 Wigeon, 2 Redshank, 24 Shoveler, 30 Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Oystercatcher, 7 Gadwall, 2 Little Ringed Plover (likely to be one very mobile pair on site) and 33 Barnacle Goose.
Drake Garganey seen on the Tack piece from 10:00am it was seen throughout the day visible on the Tack Piece from Stephen Kirk Hide, Estuary Tower and Robbie Garnett Hide.
11 Avocet, 12 Teal, 6 Shelduck, 1 Redshank and at 08:55 the was an adult Mediterranean Gull on the causeway.
Wednesday 9 April
Rushy Hide
11 Avocet, 3 Redshank, 1 Snipe and 1 Oystercatcher
Robbie Garnett Hide
1 Spoonbill opposite the hide, 52 Wigeon, 2 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher, Reed Warbler, and 1 Lapwing.
Estuary Walkway
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Cetti's, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler by the Knott Hide.
Estuary Tower
5 Oystercatcher, 6 Teal, 2 Mallard, 7 Curlew on the Dumbles and Skylarks singing.
South Finger Walkway
Reed, Sedge and Willow Warblers, Blackcap, Water Rail and Swallows.
Zeiss Hide
27 Avocet, 14 Shelduck, 7 Redshank, 1 Oystercatcher, Crane on their nest, 2 Ruff, 1 Pintail, 6 Wigeon and 30 Teal.
South Lake
85 Avocet, 85 Black-tailed Godwit, 28 Gadwall, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Tufted Duck and 2 Oystercatcher.
Hogarth Hide
1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank and 17 Black-tailed Godwit.
Towards the end of the day a Bittern was seen in the Pillbox pool reedbed at 3pm from Knott Hide, and a Marsh Harrier was flying long the Sea Wall.
Tuesday 8 April
Kingfishers
The Kingfisher Hide pair are now incubating eggs, it's a little quieter here as the male visits with a fish occasionally. A male and female Kingfisher have been showing well from Decoy Hide, a pair are digging a nest here with lots of courtship display.
Tack Piece
Spoonbill, still some Wigeon, Teal and a lot of Shoveler on the scrape, two Little-ringed Plovers.
Knott Hide
Singing Reed, Sedge and Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff and Blackcap.
Martin Smith Hide
Singing Reed Warbler and Coot family.
South Lake
Two pairs of displaying shelduck,9 Common Gull, single Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret with 4 Cattle Egret. Also from Discovery Hide - two Common Sandpiper, 1 GS Woodpecker drumming, 92 Black-tailed Godwit, 27 Avocet, adult breeding plumage Mediterranean Gull.
Top New Piece/Zeiss Hide
Two Cranes, 11 Wigeon, 8 Shoveler, 9 Tufted Duck, 10 Lapwing, 5 Redshank, 1 Ruff, 32 Avocet.
Kingfisher Hide
Single Buzzard on the dead tree, 6 Teal, 4 Shelduck, 6 Lapwing, Sedge, Reed, Willow Warblers, single male Pintail on the back scrape, 1 Redshank and a Sparrowhawk flushed a Snipe.
Monday 7 April
A few of yesterday's migrants appear to have moved on but still a good variety of birds about the site.
South Lake
Spotted Redshank (flew toward Top New Piece), a Greenshank among the Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal from Hogarth Hide, 83 Black-tailed Godwit, 90 Avocet, 4 Oystercatcher, 140 Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Cormorants, Great Crested Grebes and Tufted Ducks.
Duck Decoy
Pair of Kingfishers nesting, still showing well as they mate and dig the hole.
Knott Hide/Holes in the wall
Reed Warbler singing here.
South Finger
Singing Cetti's and Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.
Top New Piece
Two Ruff on the south island with a couple of female Lapwing, pair of Lapwing on the field, Crane nesting on one of the islands, Teal and Wigeon on the fleets and flood.
Tack Piece
Ten late staying Russian White-fronted Geese (image MJM), just waiting for the NE winds to change so they can leave. Three Little ringed Plover, local breeders, but flew off, 2 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher and Wigeon Teal and Shoveler on the scrape.
Estuary Tower
Peregrine on the estuary sands, a Snipe flew from the scrape inland.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Mediterranean Gull with the Black-headed Gulls.
