Whitefronts on show
Estuary Tower
Nice to see the whole Whitefronted Goose flock close on the Dumbles after flushing from the South Finger. Ideal counting conditions found 128 birds including the 2 juvenile Greenland Whitefronts. There was a pair of Cranes (Ruby and her wild mate), 2 Peregrines at either end of the Dumbles and a lots of close up Wigeon on the Dumbles scrape (450) and in the Pillbox pool. The Estuary was full of duck as it seems to have been all winter with Wigeon 200, Pintail 140 and Shoveler 64, plenty of Shelduck and over 200 Curlew scattered across the mudflats. The long ground pool was packed with Pochard and Tufted Duck.
Tack Piece
Wigeon (950) packed in here and another 59 Shoveler. The Redshanks (25) and Ruff (15)were showing well with 6 curlew and a single Oystercatcher. Lapwing were building steadily with 490 and around 150 Dunlin among them. Two Cranes (Kia and Chocolo) also here. Two Water rail were showing well at the Willow Hide.
Rushy
Around 72 Bewicks overnight a cluster of 64 Pintail around the wooden hide and 84 Pochard on the main lake. There was 40 teal, 7 Redshank and 6 Snipe on the lower pond.
South Lake
A magnificent 334 Black Tailed Godwits and hundreds of Lapwing moving between here and the road fields also 17 Avocet, 1 oystercatcher, 3 Ruff and 4 Snipe. A Great Crested Grebe was on the lake and a single Egyptian Goose with the Greylags. Two Cranes (Elizabeth royal and Phelps) were also showing well.
South Finger
The Whitefronted Geese were here first thing and look like they are heading back this way after a disturbance, another 500 Wigeon were here but only 98 Teal. The single parent Bewick family with 2 young were here, lots of mobile Dunlin and Lapwing and Cettis, Buzzard and Great Spotted Woodpecker to add to the mix
