'White-front' numbers have crept up
At least 161 Russian White-fronted Geese were on site this morning, we seem to be recruiting a few here and there at the 'tail-end' of the winter. A cold, crisp morning saw them being typically mobile about the fields and estuary, arriving from fields to the North they settled for a time in the Four Score ground before relocating to the Tack Piece where they really well in the winter sunshine.
Other highlights today included the following
Estuary Tower/Dumbles
Ross's Goose, Snow x Bar-headed and two Canada x Barnacle Goose hybrids with the Barnacle/Canada Goose flock. A few singing Skylarks, 13 Linnet and a singing Mistle Thrush. 278 Pintail floating on the Severn at high tide with 500+ Wigeon, Peregrine, 5 GBB Gull, 10 Curlew in flight and 10 Grey Heron on the Royal Drift wall.
Middle Point- Stonechat on the fence as viewed from Estuary Tower.
Top New Piece
450 Lapwing, 310 Teal, 180 Dunlin, 170 Wigeon, 5 Snipe, 275 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Pintail among the highlights here.
Willow Hide/holes in the wall
Two Water Rail.
Rushy Hide
500+ Lapwing, 50+ Dunlin, 32 Bewick's Swans (at 8am), Oystercatcher, 45+ Pochard. The Scaup was here first thing this morning.
Tack Piece
53 Bewick's Swans (8am), 23 Ruff, 18 Redshank, 4 Snipe, 20+ Shoveler, Snow Goose, 300+Wigeon, Great and Little Egret.
South Lake
First winter drake Greater Scaup on deep lake section with Pochard, 600 Lapwing, 200 Dunlin, 8 Avocet, Oystercatcher on the wader scrape + numbers of Teal and Shoveler.
Grounds- pair of wild Goldeneye in with the collection birds and 3 Redpoll with Goldfinches
