Summer waders
Summer Waders
The majority of the waders on site are forming post breeding flocks, the exception being Avocet with many broods at the Rushy/Tack Piece and a few at South Lake. Even the Avocets are forming post-breeding flocks, around70-80 have been heading out to the Severn mud to feed, it may also involve a few birds arriving from elsewhere. At high tide most of them return to the scrapes alongside the breeding birds. We've noted counts of over 70 Lapwing and 50 Redshank, within these flocks we have a few juveniles. One of the two juvenile Redshank recorded so far is a very young bird, these can cause confusion with other species as they are small, short billed and tailed and have a spangled plumage. The Black-tailed Godwit abd Curlew flocks are creeping up in number as are the Green Sandpipers. Our first returning Snipe on the Top New Piece plus two breeding plumage Dunlin on 26th and an adult and first summer Ringed Plover on the estuary on the 27th highlighted how e have definitely turned the corner.
White-spotted Bluethroat
Male continues to sing and show daily to 27th at least.
Glossy Ibis on 26th
An apparent first summer bird toured the reserve and foreshore areas up to Frampton on Severn yesterday.
Other highlights from the hides include
Summer Walkway
Marbled White butterflies and a Hobby seen both on 26/27th.
South Lake
Spotted Redshank, 35 Redshank including a fully fledged juvenile, 29 Black-tailed Godwit, 54 Avocet + brood of 3, 4 Oystercatcher + brood of 2, 7 Pied Wagtail, 5 Lapwing including two juveniles, 9 Moorhen, 45 Coot, Little and Great Crested Grebes, 18 Teal, 4 Shoveler, brood 5 Mute Swan, 6 drake Pochard 250+ Black-headed Gulls, Egyptian Goose, 37 Mallard, 7 Tufted Duck, Swallows and House Martins feeding over, two Cormorant, pair of Cranes with two chicks, 35 Gadwall. Hogarth Hide- 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Redshank, 10 Teal, 2 broods Tufted Duck, Grey Heron + 16 Gadwall.
Top New Piece
66 Lapwing, 10 Redshank including a recently fledged juvenile (short-billed, tailed and small), 97 Teal, Kingfisher fishing from reeds on fleet island to SW of Zeiss Hide, lots of Reed Warbler activity, brood of Shelduck.
Tack Piece
Five Green Sandpiper, 2 Great and 2 Little Egrets, a few broods of Avocet, pair of Oystercatcher with a fledged juvenile.
Rushy Hide
Drake Pochard, 10+ broods of Avocet, Kestrel hunting over the field in the afternoon.
General
A Red Kite flew over this morning.
