Spoonbills everywhere!
Lots of great birds finding shelter or food in our carefully managed habitats
Spoonbills
This week we have seen Spoonbills on many of the scrapes and out on the Severn Estuary. Up to three have been together with single birds seen at the same time and much movement in between. The Top New Piece has been a favourite resting spot with feeding birds also in the Rushy and Tack Piece. Two have been feeding together on the Severn off Middle Point as the tide floods but a third was seen alone that flew off upriver. Yesterday two adults were reported, at least four immature birds, maybe five have been seen so we may actually have up to seven individuals about.
Pectoral Sandpiper
This bird has not been seen early morning but tends to appear late morning to early afternoon, the last three days it has favoured the Tack Piece scrape, often hidden in the vegetation and in the company of a Common Sandpiper. Last time we were out cutting vegetation/hay at Martin Smith Hide we strimmed a section of the East shore and mowed a section on the West shore, just a well we did this because this is where the Pectoral Sandpiper has mostly been seen, it would be totally hidden otherwise. It visited the Rushy again yesterday. If looking for it be patient, keep scanning or re-visit the hide through the day to find it. At least 15 Green Sandpipe have also been present here this week.
Middle Point
We are still hearing very short bursts of song from the Grasshopper Warbler in the grass and the Grey Partridghe has been seen daily, it does tend to hide if it hears voices or if the cattle are nearby. The area is busy with families of Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting.
Two feeding Spoonbill and one flew upriver (all immatures), 3 juvenile Knot, 80 Ringed Plover, 20 Dunlin, 60 Curlew, 11 Little and 2 Great Egret on the Severn.
Yesterday there were three adult Sanderling and a calling Little-ringed Plover over.
South Lake
Up to 12 Cattle Egret seen today (maximum of 14 so far this week), they like to perch on the Little-ringed Plover cages of fishing birds fences on deep lake. At least 5 juvenile Ruff have joined the adults and the Hobby again hunting was the ditch on the East side of duck Marsh, it often perches in the oaks.
Rushy Hide
No Snipe today ( a very cold toned bird was present with a buffy almost orangey bird on Monday and Wednesday, the colder toned bird reminiscent of Wilson's Snipe delicata and the other may well be of the faeroensis race, worth checking any underwing shots or views to see if it is something scarcer, the Snipe are typically elusive and unpredictable, they can be very shy and distant views certainly don't help), 4 Spotted Redshank, 260 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Redshank, 11 Ruff and feeding Teal.
Martin Smith Hide
Four Wigeon now among the Gadwall.
Top New Piece
At least four Garganey earlier in the week with two yesterday and at least one seen today, they feed with the Teal, Gadwall, Mallard and Shoveler
