Times are changing
Times are changing and spring is arriving, but we still have a good helping of winter wildlife on offer
Times are changing and spring is arriving, but we still have a good helping of winter wildlife on offer. With each day the reserve is filled with more and more bird song as our resident birds begin claiming their territories - listen out for Great Tit, Song Thrush, Dunnock and now Skylark have started too.
Our first spring migrants are also arriving, with several Oystercatcher now back on the reserve and a small number of Avocet are also present. Soon we should start to see Chiffchaff singing again and then other species arriving through late March to May.
Estuary Tower
The adult Dark-bellied Brent Gose was with the Barnacle Goose flock this morning, as was the Ross's Goose and three Snow Geese. A single Pink-footed Goose was on the Tack Piece, away from the White-fronted Goose flock who were north in the Goose House Ground.
Over on the Long Ground Pool were 34 Shoveler, 54 Tufted Duck, 16 Gadwall, four Wigeon and 201 Black-headed Gulls.
Back on the Tack Piece this first few hundred Golden Plover were arriving around 8:30am to join the Lapwing for the day. Amongst the Dunlin was at least one Little Stint.
Kingfisher Hide
A Kingfisher was seen again at the nesting pond, and a Merlin was reported again on the Bottom New Piece fence line. Yesterday a Brambling was seen with the finch flock along the walkway.
South Lake
Just four Black-tailed Godwit were on the wader scrape this morning, with the rest of the flock out on the Top New Piece from the Zeiss Hide. Nine Avocet were on the wader scrape too, plus the usual Lapwing, Teal, Shoveler and assortment of gulls.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling from the oak trees to the back of the area, and a Peregrine flew through mid-morning having failed to catch lunch on the Tack Piece.
