End of the week roundup

A summary of highlights from the last few days

It has been another busy week on the reserve with lots of little jobs all in need of completion. Our volunteers as ever are doing an amazing job helping us to manage the reserve for wildlife, and provide brilliant opportunities for our visitors too.

Next week we look forward to our hides reopening as we move to the next stage of restrictions being lifted. All our hides will return to having restricted capacity, so please check at the entrance and don't linger too long if others are waiting to use the space. Our Guides in the Hides will be on hand to show you are wildlife and manage the number of people in busier spots.

Rushy viewpoint
The viewing slots created in the old gate are proving popular and a great way to catch up with the birds on the Rushy. This morning the pair of Little Ringed Plover were showing well, with the male nest scraping as the female watched on waiting to inspect his work. Also present were 26 Avocet including several nests, and our nesting pair of Oystercatcher.

Estuary Tower roof terrace
The Dumbles scrape in front of the tower is getting busier with at least 8 pairs of Avocet setting up nests here. Further out on the Dumbles this morning were five Whimbrel with a small flock of nine Curlew. It feels as though these Curlew are failed or non-breeders making an early return to the estuary. Last week only our breeding pair were present, which were joined by three birds yesterday. The male of our pair was busy displaying and chasing off another male from the new arrivals, but this morning all nine were feeding together in apparent harmony. Is the breeding season already over for these birds? Across the seawall on the Tack Piece we've also seen small numbers of Lapwing start to gather. These are also likely to be failed or non-breeders returning or relocating from elsewher on the reserve. Thankfully we still have some Lapwing on nests and due to hatch soon.

To the south this morning were four Cranes, our breeding pair Oakie & Sherbert, plus Sedge and the immature unringed bird who were out on the estuary mudflats.

As you're heading down towards the Estuary Tower don't forget to look through the viewing slots in the wall near the Willow Hide. Both Little Grebe and Water Rail have been seen here this week.

Summer Walkway / Middle Point
The estuary has been the place to be this week for the birding action. The mudflats have been busy with small waders, with counts this morning including 133 Ringed Plover, 89 Dunlin, 3 Sanderling and 2 Little Stint. A pair of Avocet had also moved out to the river to feed and a Little Egret was in the channel. Other waders seen this week include Turnstone, Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot.

The Grasshopper Warbler has been reeling and occasionally showing very well. At least three Wheatear were counted along the fenceline this morning, with Whinchat seen earlier in the week.

Reedbed Walkway
The reedbed continues to be filled with bird song, now mainly from Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Cetti's Warbler although a few Blackcap can still be heard. The latter species will now be busy with eggs and possibly chicks, taking their attention away from singing now that territories are established.

Two Cuckoos have also been noted in the area this week, along with occasional sightings of Green Woodpecker.

Grounds
The Oystercatcher pair have been on the Big Pen with their chicks this week, just across the pond from the Visitor Centre. Two drake Pochard and a drake Goldeneye have been seen with the captive birds on the Eider Pool. Also don't forget to listen out for Mediterranean Gulls as they fly over moving between different pools and scrapes. At least five different birds have been seen this week, all being second calendar years.

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