Sunshine and showers
Its been a classic Spring day - relatively mild compared to recent cold snaps, sunshine poking through a cloudy sky and the odd sharp shower including a bit of hail, and we haven't even made it to April yet. Other signs of Spring can be seen around the reserve including several singing Chiffchaff, lots of queen bumblebees looking for nesting sites and the number of winter ducks dropping like a stone.
South Lake Hides
The Black-tailed Godwit flock continues to grow with 356 birds counted this morning, many of which are fast turning a gorgeous brick red colour for the breeding season. Soon these birds will start departing for Iceland, leaving just the non-breeding birds behind for the Summer. Only 12 Avocet were present this morning as most had moved off to feed on the Top New Piece or explore the Dumbles scrape. Two adult Mediterranean Gulls were seen during the morning, one wearing a yellow darvic reading 2X7N - we await to hear where this bird is from. Safe to say they are a pair as the birds were seen copulating. Also of note were a pair of Great Crested Grebe, two pairs of Oystercatcher and 10 Pochard.
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Holden Tower and Walkway
A small group of 13 Avocet were on the Dumbles scrape with a backdrop of 129 Wigeon grazing around the water's edge. Despite the rain a Skylark was in full song and a Peregrine was sat on a log beyond the cross fence. Three Cranes were seen, two on the seawall opposite the Zeiss Hide and another bird waiting out the rain in the middle of the Dumbles. A Water Rail was showing well from the Knott Hide and a Snipe was in the reeds from the viewing slots between here and the Willow Hide. A pair of Little Grebe were also on the pool. Out from the Stephen Kirk Hide were a flock of 62 Black-tailed Godwit busy feeding in the wettest patches near the hide. A pair of Oystercatcher were on the Tack Piece with a Ruff, 160 Wigeon, 23 Shoveler, 25 Shoveler and a single Snipe sat in the middle of the field.
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Zeiss Hide
Birds here included 24 Avocet, 64 Wigeon, a pair Oystercatcher, single Ringed Plover, 20 Snipe, 30 Teal and 2 Redshank.
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Kingfisher Hide
At last a Kingfisher sighting here with a male seen this morning. The cold weather has delayed these birds so hopefully its now full steam ahead for the breeding season! Also of note were a few pairs of duck including Tufted Duck, Shoveler and Gadwall. A pair of Oystercatcher and 80 Teal were on the Bottom New Piece.
