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Duckling season update
We're now well in to duckling season on the reserve with broods popping up everywhere!
We're now well in to duckling season on the reserve with broods popping up everywhere! Our first broods of our rarer species started appearing around a month ago and its looking like a good season compared to previous years.
Duckling update
So far in the last month we've recorded at least six broods of Shoveler, 13 broods of Gadwall, 34 broods of Mallard, 12 broods of Shelduck and 34 broods of Tufted Duck. Other broods are undoubtedly tucked away in all corners of the reserve so these will be the minimum numbers.
Our Shoveler broods are mainly on the Top New Piece, viewed from the Zeiss Hide, or over on the South Lake. We do have at least one broods on our new Five Acre Reedbed, a new area has been created in the last year to improve water quality on the site but also provide a great wildlife habitat too - and its working! We also have at least three broods of Tufted Duck here too. Gadwall broods can also be seen on the Top New Piece, South Lake and on the Rushy.
As for today's sightings...
Rushy Hide
The Little Ringed Plover pair still have two chicks near the hide and the second pair are still on the nest in their protective cage. Unfortunately the cage can't protect them from flooding so we're trying to manage the water levels here to keep them safe as best we can with the ongoing downpours. Also present here were a Green Sandpiper, 14 Tufted Duck plus three broods of ducklings, two Teal, 28 Gadwall, two Oystercatcher, and eight young Avocet with adults.
South Lake
At least 11 Green Sandpiper were noted this morning. The pair of Little Ringed Plover are still on their nest - thankfully the rising water levels overnight didn't cover the island. Also on the wader scrape were a flock of 44 Black-tailed Godwit, 13 Redshank, a male Ruff and the remaining Avocet chicks. On the deep lake were two broods of Gadwall plus the moulting flock of 70 adults and 21 Teal. Three Oystercatchers were also seen.
Zeiss Hide
A Greenshank was a new arrival on the Top New Piece. Also present were at least two Garganey, a Redshank with chicks, three broods of Gadwall, a brood of Tufted Duck, 39 Teal and the Great Egret.
Summer Walkway / Middle Point
A Grey Plover was another new arrival on the river along with a Ringed Plover. Other birds on the mudflats included five Oystercatcher, 41 Avocet, 164 Shelduck, 166 Curlew, a Grey Heron, whilst a pair of Great Crested Grebe were in a tidal pool to the north. At least 18 Great Black-backed Gull were seen and the Grasshopper Warbler still reeling from the reedbed near the Shepherd's Hut.
