Sightings and news to week ending 9 March
An ongoing record of what's been seen around the reserve.
Friday 7 March
Both Furry and Furrow, the remaining two Bewick’s swans, were still on site alongside the 2 Whooper swans. The first Coltsfoot was seen today on the far bank of South Lake.
Estuary Tower
The Dumbles Scrape had 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Avocet and 1 Redshank on the islands, Skylarks were singing overhead 33 White-fronted Geese on the Dumbles. A Kingfisher also flew by towards the Tack Piece. Later in the afternoon there was a single Little Stint on middle island of the Scrape.
Robbie Garnett Hide
The 2 Whooper Swans were close to the hide, with large flocks of Wigeon, Tufted Duck and Shelduck. Also on the flooded field were singles of Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank and juvenile Spoonbill. Later in the day Evie the Crane was there with two unringed adults and one of last year’s juveniles.
Willow Hide
One Kingfisher flew by the hide, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Wren, Robin, Great and Blue Tit were all on the feeders, in the water below were 2 Wigeon, 3 Teal and a Shelduck.
Martin Smith Hide
A Sparrowhawk made an appearance on the fence by the bridge, and there were 22 Wigeon, 5 Mallard and 7 Tufted Duck in front of the hide.
Discovery Hide
There were 80 Avocet, 35 Black-tailed Godwit, 41 Gadwall, 4 Oystercatcher, 60 Shoveler, 99 Teal, 15 Tufted Duck and 17 Pochard on South Lake.
Zeiss Hide
Across the Top New Piece there were 32 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret, 1 Curlew, 243 Wigeon, 136 Teal, and 2 Reed Bunting singing.
South Finger Walkway
Along the Walkway there were Dunnock, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Reed Bunting and Wren all singing.
Kingfisher Hide
38 White-fronted geese were in the four-score field with 6 Greylags, the Kingfisher pair were at the nest bank with 6 Teal on the water.
South Finger Reedbed
Through the Reedbed alongside the path there were 14 Tufted Duck and a pair of Gadwall.
Thursday 6 March
Discovery Hide
In the sunshine this morning there were 31 Black-tailed Godwit feeding, 56 Avocet, 3 Oystercatcher and a Kingfisher flew by too.
Zeiss Hide
In the reed bed there was a Reed Bunting singing, around 120 Wigeon feeding, 4 Little Egret across the field, as well as 7 Redshank on the back scrape island with 21 Lapwing.
Kingfisher Hide
2 Buzzard were squabbling, 2 Kingfisher were in the area with the female sat next to the nest bank, 8 Gadwall, 5 Teal, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Little Grebe were on the water and a Greenfinch was on the feeders. 6 Lapwing were displaying over the Bottom New Piece field.
Estuary Tower
A Kingfisher was spotted along the path towards the tower, on the Dumbles there were 4 Avocet, 112 White-fronted Geese, 3 Roe Deer, 2 Redshank, 156 Barnacle Geese and 2 Oystercatcher.
Robbie Garnett Hide
There were 32 Curlew on the Tack Piece with 2 Great Egret, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Peregrine, 3 Crane and 9 Ruff.
Rushy Hide
The 2 Bewick's swans came along to the morning feed along with the 2 Whooper swans, also on the Rushy Lake were 49 Pintail, 6 Avocet, 3 Pochard, 2 Gadwall and 2 Wigeon.
Wednesday 5 March
Zeiss Hide
In the morning there were 84 Shelduck, 3 Redshank, 24 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 23 Dunlin, Marsh Harrier and 57 Teal across the Top New Piece.
Kingfisher Hide
In front of Kingfisher Hide there were 2 Shelduck, 2 Little Grebe, the male Kingfisher was showing, 2 Shoveler, 2 Tufted Duck, 8 Gadwall, 6 Teal and a Coal Tit was on the feeders. The White-fronted geese flock were in the Tin Shed Field behind Van de Bovenkamp Hide
Rushy Lake
The 2 Bewick's swans stuck around for another day alongside the 2 Whooper Swans.
Discovery Hide
On South Lake there were 65 Avocet, 40 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Cattle Egret, 1 Little Egret, 60 Shoveler, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 14 Pochard, 18 Tufted Duck and 28 Gadwall.
Robbie Garnett Hide
On the flooded Tack Piece there were 22 Curlew and 7 Cranes.
Tuesday 4 March
The run of nights with sub-zero temperatures continued today, sunshine from sunrise and most of the day apart from a couple of hours mid-morning when bank of fog rolled in. This coincided with the morning rounds so were unable to see much.
Tin Shed Ground from Van de Bovenkamp Hide
123 Russian White-fronted Geese to East of the hide early morning.
Top New Piece
24 Lapwing, 100 Wigeon, singing Reed Bunting.
Bottom New Piece
Five Lapwing.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Two Bewick's Swans and 2 Whooper Swans remain, a few Wigeon + 400+ ducks (Pintail, Mallard, Shelduck, Teal, Tufted Ducks).
Estuary Tower
Two Little Stint on the Dumbles scrape.
Tack Piece
A pair of Goosander late morning were of note, probably migrants that were lost in the fog and decided to rest up.
South Lake
14 Cattle Egret resting on the deep lake islands but moved out to the fields over the canal. Up to 39 Avocet and 46 Black-tailed Godwit were on the largely frozen scrape which thawed out later in the day.
Estuary Tower
136 Russian White-fronted Geese on the Dumbles.
Willow Hide
A Firecrest was reported.
South Finger
Two Kingfishers at the nest bank, 2 Goldcrest and Treecreeper along path, a few singing Reed Buntings and Chiffchaff near Van de Bovenkamp Hide.
Top New Piece
11 Lapwing, Little Stint and 65 Dunlin but the dispersed+ 100 Wigeon.
Grounds
Chiffchaff in full song
