A busy duck marsh
The Hogarth Hide is perhaps one of our least visited hides, but this morning it was very busy with birds
The Hogarth Hide is perhaps one of our least visited hides, but this morning it was very busy with birds after the recent rain has raised water levels.
South Lake (from Hogarth Hide)
A very busy duck marsh after the rain with 336 Teal, 83 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff and Snipe, plus 20 Wigeon and a few Shoveler. On the main wader scrape were several hundred Lapwing. Back at the Discovery Hide, the deep lake held a mixed flock of Tufted Duck and Pochard.
Amongst the Black-tailed Godwit flock was a colour-ringed bird (photo). We wait to hear more about this bird's life story.
Robbie Garnett Hide
Four Redshank moved here from the Rushy this morning. Also of note were 49 Wigeon, nine Shoveler and 644 Teal.
Rushy Hide
We've begun our winter feeds on the Rushy and it will take the birds a week or so to get used to the system again. Before the feed counts included 19 Pintail, 167 Tufted Duck, four Redshank, an Avocet, 24 Shelduck, four Wigeon, the Black Swan, 14 Pochard and 166 Teal. Our commentated 4pm feeds will not start until November, once the Bewick's Swans have returned.
Zeiss Hide
The family of three White-fronted Geese were on the water with the Canada Goose flock. A Stonechat was sat on the reed tops near hide calling, and a Cetti's Warbler was singing too. Duck on the scrape included 15 Pintail and 72 Shoveler with a few Wigeon and Teal. Also noted were 12 Dunlin before the tide rose, a Grey Heron, and a Little Grebe was towards the Van de Bovenkamp Hide.
Martin Smith Hide
The Bittern has continued to show well on and off all morning as it moves between the clumps of reeds on the islands. We believe this is a different bird to that which was seen at the Zeiss Hide over the last few weeks, but is the same bird as was in the Duck Decoy last week.
Summer Walkway / Middle Point
The Spoonbill was showing well out on the estuary, seven Ruff and a Little Stint were seen with the Dunlin flock. Please note that the Summer Walkway and access to Middle Point will close at the end of the month (end of this week) as our winter birds are arriving.
