Tuesday morning sightings
A stiff North wind is making us thankful for the cover of our hides today, sadly for bird families with young it is a struggle. The scrapes have settled into a summer theme with very little evidence of migration.
Geese are flocking up, groups of 28 and 18 Barnacle Geese on Dumbles and Tack Piece and
a flock of 50 Canada Geese on the spartina island on the Severn estuary and 70 Greylag on Tack Piece.
Avocets are very busy nesting and incubating but are struggling to keep young, the weather and large gull predation seem to be the reason why. Avocets colonies are busy at the Holden Tower, South Lake and Rushy Pen, we have 70+ adults on the reserve.
Our summering Black-tailed Godwit flock number 37 today, they are mobile but seem settled on South Lake at the moment.
Lapwing have chicks and are still incubating what may be a third clutch attempt in many places, look out for them defending young/nests from Kingfisher Hide, Zeiss Hide, Holden Tower, on Land rover safaris and a pair remain on South Lake. Some birds have been seen in small flocks, a sign of the breeding season ending.
Fledged Robins, Long-tailed Tits, Blackbirds, Song Thrush and a fledged Mistle Thrush are around. Warblers are still singing with a few Blackcap and Chiffchaff but these birds will feeding young. Reed Warblers are very active and singing pretty much all over the site.
Shelduck broods and loafing parties are scattered about the scrapes, 50-100 feed on the estuary at low tide. Shoveler are also found on most pools but are drakes, hopefully all the females are incubating eggs! A large group of 70 Gadwall have formed what is likely to be a moult flock at the Hogarth Hide (Duck marsh).
The Great Crane Project Cranes are easily seen, Monty and Sedge are in full view on their nest in the Rushy Pen. Willow and Buttercup usually have the 2015 Slimbridge reared chick with them. Oakie and Evie seem to be a pair with Cotton the bird now in tow. The Tack Piece and Top New Piece are both reliable places to see Cranes.
