Lapwing, Dunlin and a Ruff
Very high tides and ever increasing wader and wildfowl numbers hint at the spectacle to come. The Dumbles and Top New Piece are particularly busy with birds. A visit to the Zeiss Hide and Holden Tower was very rewarding.
Rushy Pen
At least 40 Bewick's Swans at the roost this morning, a great place to catch up with the majority of Pochard, Pintail and good numbers of all other duck species. A single Redshank remains.
Tack Piece (Martin Smith, Robbie Garnett, Stephen Kirk Hides as well as Holden Tower)
At least 44 E. White-fronted Geese, 9 Cranes, 70 Wigeon, 270 Teal and 40 Greylag present this morning.
Holden Tower
The Siberian Chiffchaff was again reported in the bushes below the hide mid morning. At high tide large numbers of Wigeon with Pintail among them were floating over the saltmarsh. The Barnacle and Canada Goose flocks were joined by 17 Greylag Geese, 59 Shelduck, 30 Curlew, 2 Redshank, 450 Golden Plover, 500 Lapwing and 350 Dunlin. Two Raven and a male Stonechat were also on view.
Zeiss Hide/Top New Piece
1400 Wigeon, 1150 Teal, 58 Shoveler, 20 Pintail, 1 Spotted Redshank, 5 Redshank, 2 Snipe, 10 Ruff and a Water Rail. Late news for yesterday concerns two Bitterns seen in the reeds and flying along the channel.
South Finger Reedbed (hedge and path)
4 Goldcrest, 4 Treecreeper among the tits.
The Moon sinking behind the Forest of Dean