End of January to week ending 2 February sightings and news.
2 February
Estuary Tower
Over the high and ebb tide there were two Little Stint and a Ringed Plover with Dunlin on the Dumbles scrape and islands. Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and Peregrine all noted here. Three Cranes (Oakie/Sherbert and juvenile) fed on the Dumbles until they moved to the Top New Piece. The majority of the Canada and Barnacle Geese fed on the Dumbles with the Ross's and Snow x Bar-headed, Canada x Greylag Goose hybrids. An Oystercatcher joined the Curlew in the high tide roost. A male Bullfinch fed on buds early morning.
Tack Piece
A precise count of 100 Russian White-fronted Geese late morning, at least ten were juveniles. Four Cranes fed, (three un-ringed and Evie). The Spoonbill visited to feed, 1000+ Golden Plover, 500+ Lapwing, 400+ Dunlin, 22 Ruff and 14 Redshank among the waders noted here today, 100+ Teal, 500 Wigeon plus Pintail and Shoveler. The Bewick's Swans arrived here to rest or feed for the day from mid-morning, both Whooper Swans joined them. A Peregrine made a kill of a Lapwing but the Carrion Crows and Buzzards pushed it off the meal.
South Lake
The 2cy Spoonbill, 10 Avocet, two Oystercatcher, a GC Grebe and 40 Black-tailed Godwits among the 100s of Lapwing, Shoveler, Teal, Mallard, Pochard and Tufted Duck. Piscivores represented by Grey Heron, 11 Cormorant and a Great Crested Grebe.
Top New Piece
A pair of Stonechat, 200 Teal, 100 Wigeon and flocks of Lapwing and Dunlin fed this afternoon.
Grounds
Redpolls and Siskins were with the Goldfinches, two Oystercatcher were on the Big Pen Ponds.
Entrance fields
The Glossy Ibis fed in the field on the north side of the road. Please do not enter the field or go beyond No Entry or No access signs along the service roads or tracks.
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31 January
Zeiss Hide
There was a top count of 88 White-fronted Goose, 454 Teal, 235 Wigeon, 80 Shelduck, 8 Tufted Duck, 4 Shoveler, Gadwall, Pochard, 10 Canadas, 8 Greylag, c500 Lapwing, c100 Dunlin flushed/mobile and Snipe too.
Estuary Tower
On the Dumbles there were 60 Shelduck, 129 Curlew, 179 Barnacle Goose plus Ross’s goose, 14 Great black-backed Gull, 1 Lesser black-backed Gull as well as Pintail and Wigeon on the river.
On the Scrape in front of the hide there were 298 Wigeon, 8 Pintail, 8 Shoveler and 116 Teal.
In the Pillbox pool there were 64 Wigeon, 5 Teal and in the Long Ground Pool there were 2 Cormorant, 45 Shoveler, 20 Pochard, 30 Tufted Duck and 32 Teal.
Kingfisher Hide
A Reed Bunting was spotted as well as 14 Gadwall, 8 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 2 Little Grebe, 81 Canadas, 3 Greylag, 2 Barnacle goose and a Water Rail was heard.
South Lake
The Spoonbill was present first thing with c500 Dunlin, c700 Lapwing, 29 Black-tailed Godwit, 13 Avocet, 110 Teal, 34 Pochard, 25 Shelduck, 14 Shoveler, 16 Tufted Duck, 8 Gadwall, 9 Cormorant including one in breeding plumage, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Grey Heron.
Late morning there were 2 male and 1 female Goldeneye on the Deep Lake.
Robbie Garnett Hide
Lots of disturbance over the Tack Piece today among 65 Tufted Duck, 9 Pochard, 11 Shelduck, 21 Ruff, 5 Redshank, 130+Wigeon, 32 Shoveler, 6 Pintail and a large flock of Lapwing and Dunlin.
Willow Hide
A Water Rail was once again under the feeders.
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30 January
South Lake
Across the deep and shallow lakes there were 7 Avocet, 1 Spoonbill, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great-crested Grebe, 3 Common Gull among a flock of Black headed Gull, and large mixed flock of Pochard, Teal, Tufted Duck and Mallard. 1 Goldeneye was seen at 12:40.
Martin Smith Hide
There was 1 Green-winged teal visible for most of the day from Martin Smith Hide as well as 10 Snipe, 7 Teal, 12 Wigeon, 4 Shoveler.
Willow Hide
A Water Rail was under the feeders.
Zeiss Hide
From Zeiss Hide there were 126 Lapwing, 36 Black-tailed Godwit, 76 Shelduck, Teal and Wigeon too.
Through the Grounds by Mission Possible the first singing Greenfinch of the year was seen. A roost of 65 birds is gathering here.
Kingfisher Hide
There were 85 White-fronted geese, 4 Snipe and 6 Roe Deer on the Four score field first thing. On the water in front of the Hide there were 4 mallard, 2 Moorhen, 10 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler and 12 Teal. Also 2 Buzzard were perched up and 1 Coal tit and a flock of long-tailed tits on the feeders.
Rushy Hide
First thing this morning there were 63 Bewick's on the lake and 2 Whooper Swans.
Estuary Tower
From the tower 215 Curlew, 1 Peregrine, 1 Red Kite, 19 Great black-backed Gull, 171 Barnacle goose, 1 Bullfinch, 450 Lapwing and Skylarks were heard.
On the Pill box pool to the south there were 75 Wigeon.
Robbie Garnett Hide
Looking gout onto the Tack Piece there were 25 Redshank, 27 Ruff, 65 Pintail, 450 Dunlin, 1100 Lapwing, 550 Golden Plover, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Great Egret, 1 Peregrine and 1 Marsh Harrier.
The Glossy Ibis seemed quite happy in the field to the left of the car park exit at 11:00am and throughout the rest of the day.
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27 January
Estuary Tower
2152 Golden Plover (522 Dumbles, 1630 Tack Piece) also a Peregrine on a kill.
A drake Green-winged Teal was on the Top New Piece flood + 500 Teal and 92 Wigeon, (telescope needed to view from here). Male Marsh Harrier hunting over. Two Little Stint with 2 Dunlin, 2 Herring Gull, 109 Wigeon, 24 Teal, 9 Pintail, 75 Shelduck on the Dumbles and scrape
Tack Piece
355 Black-tailed Godwit (they've returned, a few now almost in breeding plumage), the flock moved to the Top New Piece. 39 Redshank, 24 Ruff, 55 Curlew, 97 Shoveler, 830 Wigeon, 69 Pintail, 400+ Dunlin, 86 Teal + 2 Snipe from Martin Smith Hide. 9 Russian White-fronted Geese in the NE corner of the Tack Piece and 4 Cranes (Evie and 3 un-ringed).
Rushy Hide and Peng Observatory
The 2cy Glossy Ibis dropped in for a time mid morning. At least 71 Bewick's Swans and the pair of Whooper Swans were present at dawn, they to moved out to the Dumbles to feed.
Van de Bovenkamp Hide
Although the hides that look over here are closed at the moment, at least 65 Russian White-fronted Geese flew from the entrance road/canal fields to the Tin Shed Ground + 2 in the Four Score Ground. Might be worth looking from the towpath if you want to find them.
South Lake
Affected by the winds but 2cy Spoonbill, 10 Avocet, 144 Teal, 4 Gadwall, 34 Shoveler, Grey Heron, GC Grebe and 80+ Pochard sheltering with other ducks along the East shore. From the Hogarth Hide- 25 Siskin, Redpoll and 30 Goldfinch in the Alders by the bridge but they were also seen on the loopway and near the Otter enclosure. A single Oystercatcher was back on territory.
Due to the gales we've had to close off access to the hides that pass through the Spinney, South Finger and the Zeiss Hide have been closed on 26/27 January. The weather looks better for the rest of the week.
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