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Busy on the estuary
It has been a busy day on the estuary with lots of birds moving around and passing through in between (and during) the showers. A few birds were pushed onto the South Lake, but the estuary held the bulk of the action.
It has been a busy day on the estuary with lots of birds moving around and passing through in between (and during) the showers. A few birds were pushed onto the South Lake, but the estuary held the bulk of the action.
Rushy Hide
Not much to report first thing this morning with just 12 Avocet of note amongst the Black-headed Gulls, Shelduck and Tufted Duck. That changed around lunchtime when three Black Tern briefly dropped in before heading towards the estuary. A feisty Mediterranean Gull was also posturing on the causeway. The drake Garganey also continued his tour of the site, dropping in to the Rushy during the day before moving off again.
Summer Walkway and Middle Point
A morning watch over the rising tide produced at least 65 Dunlin, 25 Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderling, 5 Grey Plover, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 65 Red Knot, 3 Curlew, 5 Common Tern, a total of 9 Black Tern (groups of 2, 1, 2 and 4), 37+ Arctic Tern (groups of 19, 13, 3 and 2), a first-summer Little Gull, 4 Avocet and 8 Greenshank. Other sightings through the day included three Whimbrel allowing comparison to the Curlew and another flock of 21 Grey Plover, including birds in summer plumage.
At least one Wheatear was out on the shoreline of the Dumbles this morning, and overhead were parties of hirundines feeding low in the drizzle and murk.
Zeiss Hide
A Black Tern was on the deep lake this afternoon, later joined by a Common Tern. The Black-tailed Godwit flock of 138 birds were on the wader scrape this morning along with 13 Avocet and 2 Ruff. Another 2 different Ruff were present this afternoon so we have at least 4 birds on the reserve. Also on the deep lake were a pair of Great Crested Grebe, pair of Little Grebe and two Cormorants.
