Winter is coming
There is a distinct chill in the air with temperatures falling away after the weekend's warmer weather. The birds seem to responding too with a slight increase in the number of duck on the Rushy all getting ready for the Bewick's to arrive and our feeds to begin.
Rushy Hide
Duck on the top pond included 30 Shelduck, 7 Pintal and 2 Pochard along with an increasing number of Mallard and Tufted Duck. A few Teal were mixed in with more on the lower pond, and the presumed Red-crested Pochard x Pintail hybrid was also back. The juvenile Little-ringed Plover was on the lower pond as is likely to be our latest ever record and possibly the latest record for the county. It has someway to go yet though to be one of the latest records for the UK, this possibly being the 26th November. Also on the lower pond were 2 Ruff and 2 Redshank.
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Holden Tower
Three Brent Geese circled the Dumbles over the high tide before continuing north up the river. High tide wasn't quite as high as expected with exposed mud remaining on the spartina island in the river where at least 200 small waders (mainly Dunlin) roosted alongside at least 38 Curlew. A group of 87 Shelduck floated down river. The Red-breasted Goose was with the Barnacle flock at the southern end of the Dumbles and 5 Little Egret were along the riverbank.
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South Lake Hides
The birds seem to have been a bit jumpy this morning with movement between here and the Zeiss Hide. A Spotted Redshank was present this morning with 17 Redshank, 63 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Ruff. A flock of small waders, possibly including Curlew Sandpiper were also seen briefly. Ten Snipe were on show from the Hogarth Hide and a Little Grebe was on the deep lake.
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Zeiss Hide
The Spotted Redshank was with two Redshank this morning over high tide on an otherwise rather unusually quiet scrape. Three Little Egret were also present along with an Avocet, 150+ Dunlin, 3 Little Stint and the presumed Semipalmated Sandpiper. The small waders didn't hang around long and headed back out to the river on the falling tide. At least 153 Teal were present and 80 Wigeon.
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Kingfisher Hide
The wetter ground conditions are allowing waders to feed in the field at present. This morning 17 Ruff were with 86 Lapwing.
