Tide hitting its peak
Today sees the biggest tides of the current cycle, reaching around 10m
Today sees the biggest tides of the current cycle, reaching around 10m. This will leave very few places for the waders and other birds on the estuary to roost, other than the highest parts of the Dumbles which is the favoured location of the Curlew.
Zeiss Hide
This was the place to be for the high tide with another good wader roost this morning which included two juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, but a reduced count of only 190 Ringed Plover compared to nearly 300 yesterday. Also present were three adult Sanderling, 19 Redshank, five Knot, 45 Dunlin, 15 Ruff, 4 Avocet, 15 Black-tailed Godwit and a Turnstone. Also of note were at least four Garganey, three Wigeon, 8 Shoveler, 318 Teal, 52 Gadwall and a Green Sandpiper.
Stephen Kirk Hide
A flock of 50 Black-tailed Godwit and 12 Redshank were at this end of the Tack Piece. At the other end of the Tack Piece from the Robbie Garnett Hide was a juvenile Greenshank and two Green Sandpiper.
Summer Walkway / Middle Point
At least one Wheatear was on the fence line at the viewing area and Whinchat was also seen. As the tide was rising waders were streaming past heading south towards the roost on Top New Piece, whilst other birds remained on the cliff edge of the Dumbles including at least 204 Curlew and five Whimbrel. Mixed in with the Curlew roost were a juvenile Ruff, adult and five juvenile Knot, two Redshank and two adult Bar-tailed Godwit.
South Lake
A good number of Lapwing are now building here. A Greenshank was present around lunchtime and a Hobby was seen this afternoon from Hogarth Hide.
Rushy Hide
The lower pond held eight Black-tailed Godwit and a single Green Sandpiper this morning.
Estuary Tower
A single Oystercatcher was roosting on the riverbank at high tide, the last remnants of the breeding population heading off to their wintering grounds away from this part of the Severn Estuary. The Curlew roost can be seen well here from the roof terrace and was at least 204 birds today, plus the accompanying Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot and Ruff previously mentioned. At least 19 Great Black-backed Gulls were in the gull roost whilst geese included 133 Barnacle Geese, 319 Canada Geese and 12 Greylag Geese, plus a hybrid Snow x Bar-headed Goose and a hybrid Barnacle Goose. Don't forget to check the cattle herd for Yellow Wagtails - at least a dozen were easily seen this morning but likely to be many more present.
