Sunday birding
A great sunny start to the morning with lots of bird action too. There seems to have been a small arrival of Reed Warbler with several new in singing males around, especially in the South Finger reedbed - listen out for them on your walk to the Kingfisher Hide.
South Lake Hides
At least 5 Mediterranean Gulls were present this morning, the pair on the island in the deep lake, 2 first-winter plumaged birds roosting on the wader scrape and a very vocal adult flying around and landing very close to the Discovery Hide. Our Crane pair, Bart and Ruby, appear to have settled for the duck marsh and are now nesting, look for them from the Hogarth Hide. A flock of 19 Black-tailed Godwit were on the wader scrape with 6 Avocet and Ruff, and 2 pairs of Oystercatcher, one pair at each hide. A Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe were on the deep lake. A Whitethroat was singing from the embankment just up from the Hogarth Hide.
.
Zeiss Hide
Many of our Black-tailed Godwits have now moved on, ultimately heading for Iceland leaving just 152 here this morning, along with 6 Avocet and a Little Egret. Both Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler were calling from the reedbed in front of the hide.
.
Holden Tower
A total of 70 Avocet were on the Dumbles scrape this morning with a pair of Oystercatcher. Three Whimbrel were on the Dumbles to the north of the hide first thing, later increasing to 14 birds after high tide. At least 18 Skylark were counted on a scan round. To the south, 4 or 5 Wheatear were seen beyond the cross fence. A Peregrine was also sat on the fence. A male Yellow Wagtail flew over the tower and appeared to land on the Tack Piece and a Cuckoo was heard singing distantly, probably from the South Finger.
.
Kingfisher Hide
Activity is slowing down at the nest bank as the female finishes laying and prepares to incubate, if she isn't already. Out on the Bottom New Piece scrape were 3 Redshank whilst closer to the hide in the reeds were singing Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and Cetti's Warbler.
.
