Wintering bird departures
Off they go!
We only had 36 Bewick's Swans on the Rushy this morning, many of them slept on the Tack Piece during the day and look ready to leave for the Russian Arctic. A clear night with southerly winds might see them head off across country to the continent.
Rushy Hide
Two Avocets, Oystercatcher, Mandarin, 2 Wigeon among the Pintail, Shelduck, Tufted Ducks and Mallards.
Estuary Tower
The White-fronted Goose flock numbered 202 mid-morning, it's likely that the three Greenland White-fronted Geese were with them. Two Pink-footed Geese and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose also present and the Peregrine was being mobbed by Lapwing. 19 Curlew, 217 Barnacle Geese, Ross's Goose, Snow X Bar-headed, 70 Wigeon, singing Skylarks, Raven on the Dumbles. On the mudflats at low tide-169 Shelduck, 5 Oystercatcher and 21 Curlew on the mudflats, some of the latter chasing off Carrion Crows
South Lake
Three Goldeneye (one drake), 30 Avocet, many were territorial, 2 Oystercatcher, a Great Crested Grebe, 41 Pochard, 77 Shoveler, 27 Black-tailed Godwit, 30 Teal and 18 Pochard.
A flock of Goldfinch, Siskin and Lesser Redpoll fed in the Alders by the Joan Sanderson Memorial Bridge
Grounds
Kingfisher by the Joan Sanderson Memorial Bridge near Discovery Hide, flock of Siskins on the Loopway, Green Woodpecker about South Lake and singing Mistle Thrush in the Duck Decoy.
Tack Piece
180 Wigeon, the three Snow Geese + few scattered groups of Shelduck, Pochard and Tufted Duck. Two Great White Egret flew over at 1020am.
Top New Piece
Six Ruff, 77 Lapwing, 4 Avocet, 305 Wigeon, 31 Pintail and c40 Teal.
Bottom New Piece
186 Golden Plover and 68 Dunlin on the field.
General
The Glossy Ibis called in on the Tack Piece for ten minutes mid-afternoon but flew off again, it has been on the entrance road fields during the day. Other notable sightings included a Goshawk at the South Finger extension and a Marsh Harrier from Estuary Tower.
