Spoonbill still here
The Spoonbill which dropped into the South Lake yesterday is still present this morning, giving great closer views from the Discovery Hide. Also present here are two Mediterranean Gulls - we've had three different birds this week. We've also got many warblers now singing across the reserve including the first Willow Warblers and Blackcaps.
South Lake Hides
Along with the Spoonbill and Mediterranean Gulls the Black-tailed Godwits have returned with 197 present this morning. A total of 38 Avocet were busy across the scrape, with several pairs mating and nest scraping. Two pairs of Oystercatchers were also on the scrape. There was no sign of the Garganey first thing, but they have tended to be afternoon birds so its worth checking for them later.
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Holden Tower
A total of 8 Cranes were on view from the tower, looking back across the Tack Piece and out to the goose fields. The Dumbles were relatively quiet with displaying Lapwing and a handful of Barnacle Geese the only birds noted.
In the trees around the hide you can hear (and sometimes see) singing Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. A Cetti's Warbler is also singing from the reedbed near the Knott Hide. Four Sand Martin and a Swallow were feeding around the hide and the Tack Piece.
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Zeiss Hide
Wigeon numbers have dropped again slightly, down to just the last 48 birds this morning. There isn't much left of the goose carcass, but the Raven is still making regular visits to get food for hungry chicks back at the nest. A pair of Great Crested Grebe were again on the reedbed pool outside the Van de Bovenkamp Hide. The scrape was full of Herring Gulls during the incoming tide along with 4 Oystercatchers, 40 Shelduck and a few Common Gulls. Two Little Egrets were feeding in the channels along the edge of the field.
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Kingfisher Hide
The male and female Kingfishers were busy again this morning, taking turns to carry on excavation of this year's breeding tunnel. A showy Cetti's Warbler was singing from the brambles behind the Kingfisher bank and a Blackcap was in full song just outside the hide along the side of the path. A Willow Warbler was singing from the hedgerow running away from the hide along the edge of the South Finger reedbed. A single Redshank was on the scrape in the Bottom New Piece field.
