Wet weather drop-ins
The colder start and drizzle has forced the hirundines and Swifts lower this morning with several hundred present across the Rushy, South Lake and out from the Zeiss Hide. Then shortly before lunchtime a Black Tern was seen over the Rushy, before moving off to the South Lake.
South Lake Hides
Birds on the scrape included 24 Avocet, a pair of Oystercatcher with 2 chicks, 107+ Black-tailed Godwit, 27 Shelduck and 9 Gadwall. A flock of mixed hirundines feeding low over water in mist and rain including House Martin, Swallow and Sand Martin. The Black Tern arrived on the South Lake around 12:30pm.
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Holden Tower
A Bar-tailed Godwit was on the Dumbles scrape with the Avocet, occasionally being encourged to move out of the way by an adult as its chicks foraged nearby. Several broods of Avocet can now be seen here but the pair of Oystercatchers are yet to hatch. A Peregrine was sat on the riverbank to south and 93 Shelduck were out on the river including a brood of 2 ducklings.
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Zeiss Hide
A single drake Wigeon was still present along with 17 Avocet including a brood of 3 and a brood of 2. Also present were 20 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler and 2 Gadwall.
