Latest sightings

Frozen scrapes

Rushy Hide A few bird less than yesterday as the lower pond was frozen. Pochard, Pintail and Shelducks all mingling with the Tufted Ducks and Mallards. A single Redshank present. Tack Piece The 15 Eurasian White-fronted Geese among the Greylags, 360 Wige

30 October 2018

First Bewick's Swan returns

Indri- this bird favours the Big Pen, look out for it among the flock of resident pre injured/rehab Bewick's Swans. Rushy Hide 31 Pochard and 40 Pintail among the Mallards, Teal and Tufted Ducks. A single Little Grebe and Redshank also on the pond. Tack

29 October 2018

A few more White-fronts

Rushy Hide Further increases in the duck numbers as we begin to feed the lake to settle the birds in for the winter. 38 Pintail, 11 Pochard (5 drakes), c45 Tufted Duck and 45 Shelduck on the lake. A flock of 16 Ruff were roosting on the lower ponds island

28 October 2018

Saturday 27th Octobers Sightings

Rushy Pintail 25 Teal 70 Snipe 1 Redshank 1 Grey Wagtail 1 Holden and Walkway Whitefronted Goose 1 ad 2 juvs Wigeon 70 Teal 250 Curlew 46 Snipe 1 Peregrine 2 Chiffchaff 1 (withy bed) Fieldfare 12 passing over South Lake Pochard 14 Tufted Duck 63 Shoveler

27 October 2018

Lapwing numbers building

Rushy Pintail 27, Lapwing 23, Teal 109, Redshank 1 Martin Smith Crane 2, Snipe 1, Water Rail 1, No sing of Jack Snipe yet Holden Tower Peregrine 2, Buzzard 1 South Lake Black Tailed Godwit 21, Redshank 9 Ruff 1, Grey Heron 1, Lapwing 80, Snipe 2, Teal 367

26 October 2018

Getting colder

A distinct chill in the air this morning but the fog soon cleared at dawn. A few summer species still remain, including the Garganey on the Top New Piece and a Blackcap and Chiffchaff near the Decoy, although these latter two may be wintering birds repl

25 October 2018

Rolling fog

The thick fog over the river rolled back and forth across the reserve first thing this morning making counting a bit more tricky. High tide has pushed a nice selection of waders on to the Top New Piece. Zeiss Hide The roosting wader flock included 156 G

24 October 2018

Vanishing Knot

A beautifully sunny morning with a slight arrival of birds, not least a considerable rise in the number of Black-tailed Godwit to 328 on the reserve. A flock of 145 arrived around 8am to join the 171 already on the South Lake this morning, and bought wi

22 October 2018

Autumn sunshine

A fine autumn day saw lots of sunshine and warm temperatures, Common Darter and Migrant Hawker dragonflies were seen as well as Small Copper Butterflies. South Lake A trio of Red Knot joined the 27 Redshank, 56 Black-tailed Godwit on the wader scrape, a s

21 October 2018

Early Fog later sunshine?

Heavy fog first thing hope it lifts later Rushy Black Tailed Godwit 3 Redshank 1 Little Grebe Mallard 150 Pintail 2 Teal 110 Martin Smith Snipe 3 Jack Snipe 1 Water Rail 2 Cettis Warbler 1 South Lake Pochard 6 Passing over Redpoll 1 Redwing 1

20 October 2018

Thursday's sightings

South Lake Hides Greenshank, 27 Redshank, 21 Ruff, 2 Crane, 158 Lapwing, 254 Teal, Wigeon, 6 Pintail, 91 Shoveler, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Pochard, 16 Shelduck, 9 Snipe. . Zeiss Hide Digger work continuing today but still 5 Dunlin, Redshank, 9 Ruff on

18 October 2018

Wednesday's sightings

A great Autumn morning with calm, dry weather and a bit of sun poking through the haze. The digger work will continue on the Top New Piece from the Zeiss Hide, although birds are still around once they get used to the machinery. South Lake Hides Birds o

17 October 2018

A few more finches

Holden Tower A pair of Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, tit flock and 4 Magpies in the bushes, three Chaffinch flew out. On the Dumbles a Peregrine and 2 Buzzard were seen with a small flock of both Barnacle and Greylag Geese. Knott Hide Water Rail and Chiffchaff.

16 October 2018

Spoonbill

Zeiss Hide/Top New Piece A Spoonbill was roosting on the islands in the morning but moved off elsewhere. The Little Stint was again on the islands with c100 Dunlin coming in over the tide. Three Cranes, 40 Golden Plover and small numbers of Ruff were seen

15 October 2018

Rising water levels after a wet weekend for the WeBS count.

South Lake The south end of the wader scrape is busy with feeding birds especially Mallard and Teal. Bart and Ruby and their two offspring were also joining in. Other counts (as it was a WeBS day) 5 Pochard, 39 Tufted Duck, drake Mandarin, 2 Cormorant (7

14 October 2018