This weeks summary 21.11.20
21.11.20
Site remains closed due to COVID19 restrictions but the birds continue to increase as water levels rise and a big tide re-flooded the Dumbles.
Wildfowl
Wigeon have increased over the week with at least 2280 counted on the 20th. A lack of easterly winds have prevented any more Whitefronted Geese and Bewicks Swans arriving so still 82 and 2 respectively. The Geese have been showing well in the Tack Piece and from the Kingfisher Hide. The Tack Piece has been especially impressive as water levels creep up thousands of birds are drawn looking like every square meter is occupied with the bulk of the Wigeon and waders here.
Waders
This group have seen the biggest increases and the Tack Piece has been stunning all week with the bulk of the 1100 Golden Plover, 1300 Lapwing, nearly 500 Black Tailed Godwits regularly over 100 Curlew and smaller numbers of Redshank, Ruff and Spotted Redshank. Small groups of Dunlin are using the Tack Piece but the bulk of the 800 strong flock are feeding mainly on the Dumbles and in the short grass of the Bottom New Piece.
Others birds
Big movements of thrushes especially Fieldfare all week some days several hundred birds have been around. The Cranes have been feeding mostly off site over the last couple of weeks but a strong return to the Dumbles over the last few days has been nice. A handfull of Little Egrets and sometimes 2 Cattle Egret are roosting in the Decoy and Kingfishers are still being seen around the site. The usual birds of prey are around including an adult pair of Peregrines and at least 2 Marsh Harriers.
Highlight of the week for me was an excellent view of a female Otter than came out of the holt at the Zeiss Hide to fed frantically through the reed bed right in front of the hide for 20 minutes.
