Cranes fledging
Image- Crane pair ER and Phelps with their juvenile in flight MJM
Our last two Cranes chicks appeared to have fledged, 'Ruby and Wilde' bred on the South Lake, in recent weeks visitors have been following this family closely with a lot of flapping and practice flight runs noted. We last saw them on 25 July, they must have flown with their parents to the surrounding fields. Five pairs of Crane bred on the reserve this year with eight chicks hatched, three pairs manged to get four young airborne, great to see them make it to the juvenile stage of their lives. This equals our best ever Crane season with four reared in 2022.
Other notable sightings include the following.
Middle Point-Severn at low tide
A Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Ringed Plover, flocks of 50, 26 and 3 Dunlin plus a flock of 9 flew by with 6 Sanderling, 17 Lapwing and the usual feeding Curlew and 100s of Black-headed Gulls. A return passage Wheatear was on the track with Sedge and Reed Warblers in the reed beds and a family of Meadow Pipit nearby. A charm of Goldfinch has formed near the Goose House Hut.
Tack Piece
Nine Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Little-ringed Plover adult and juvenile, 7 Pied Wagtail, 13 Teal, 8 Green Sandpiper and mixed flock of House and Sand Martins and Swallows feeding/drinking, Kestrel on fenceposts but moved to the Dumbles foreshore.
Martin Smith Hide
Kingfisher on the perches.
Top New Piece
63 Lapwing, 49 Teal, pair of Crane ('Oakie and Sherbert') with a juvenile, Great Egret.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
12 Teal + female with ducklings, Green Sandpiper, single adult Avocet defending young, 5 Lapwing, broods of Tufted Duck, Mallard and Mute Swan. Late morning the Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff and Redshank arrived to feed. A Great Egret fished on the top pond (two here yesterday).
Grounds
A Kingfisher streaking about the ponds and a Red Kite over.
