Wild Safaris are back!
Our first Wild Safari events of the season ran today, with great views of wildlife across the reserve
Our first Wild Safari events of the season ran today, with great views of wildlife across the reserve.
We've had to delay the start of the season this year as ground conditions remained too wet, and a we still needed to establish what was happening with a few breeding birds who are more sensitive to disturbance. Now we've got all the information, and after a week of sunshine, our first trailers full of visitors headed out onto the reserve today.
Our Wild Safaris will now run every weekend until late September, increasing to daily running during half term (29th May to 2nd June) and through the whole of July and August - but weather and other circumstances permitting! Check on the day and book with our Admissions team when you arrive at the Visitor Centre. We do not take advance bookings for this event as a decision is made each morning whether to run or not.
Wild Safari
Four Hobby were putting on a great display hawking over the Hundred Acre Reedbed, making the most of the recent emergence of dragonflies and damselflies. A Marsh Harrier was quartering the northern fields. Two Great Egret and nine Little Egret were on the pools in fields around the route, a Hairy Dragonfly was along the main rhine through the headland, and lots of singing warblers can be heard everywhere.
South Lake
At least 60 adult Avocet this morning with at least 16 chicks counts. The Oystercatcher pair were also present and appear to have two chicks remaining. A Little Grebe was on the deep lake along with a drake Pochard, drake Shoveler and two Cormorant. The Crane family have now moved into the taller vegetation around the scrape, so keep an eye around the shoreline for a glimpse of the chick. A Mediterranean Gull was on the rocks in the deep lake this moring.
Kingfisher Hide
The Crane family were again in the Bottom New Piece.
Zeiss Hide
Five Avocet were feeding here this morning, and our second brood of Shelduck for the yearwere noted. Other birds of note included six Shoveler, an Oystercatcher, two Lapwing and 20 Gadwall.
Estuary Tower
A total of 48 Avocet were on the Dumbles scrape, with several pairs on nests. Also noted were two Oystercatcher, nine Shelduck, two unringed Cranes and several singing Skylark.
Knott Hide
The Little Grebe was feeding two chicks in the small reedbed pool near the hide.
