Today's highlights
European (Russian) White-fronted Goose family arriving on the Bottom New Piece
Kingfisher Hide
Flocks of waders and wildfowl are favouring this field, the seasonal management has resulted in perfect conditions for the species that are gathering. Golden Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin with Ruff, a Little Stint and 20 Curlew, 8 Greylag Geese (fairly bulky birds with heavy bills) as well as the Red-breasted Goose, 200+ Barnacle Geese and 7 E. White-fronted Geese (likely that more arrived after I left the hide at 0930am).
South Lake
Despite the ice coverage the wader scrape held 133 Dunlin, a Little Stint, a Spotted Redshank, 5 Redshank, 2 Snipe and c90 Black-tailed Godwit.
Zeiss Hide
350 Teal, 600 Wigeon and 20 Snipe were among the early morning highlights, as is typical, it got busier with birds later in the day.
Rushy Hide
Two Little Stint on the top pond island, a Little Grebe among the hundreds of duck, 13 Bewick's Swans were present early morning but some flew off.
Tack Piece (Martin Smith and Robbie Garnett Hides)
300 Wigeon, 200 Teal, up to seven Bewick's Swan (the Rushy birds spent the middle part of the day here), up to 7 White-fronted Geese + Snipe on the pool at Martin Smith Hide.
Holden Tower
A mobile female Merlin was seen in a variety of foreshore/ seawall fields and the Dumbles. At least two Kestrels and three Buzzards also noted.
