First week of October
Autumn is very much with us but the warmer weather has meant that Common Darters and Migrant Hawker dragonflies remain on the wing in the sheltered spots, this is likely to be why we still have Hobby on site, at least one still feeding around the South Finger area.
7 October
Plenty of raptors from the Zeiss Hide today - Merlin, Hobby, Kestrel, Buzzard and Peregrine all noted with Marsh Harrier and Sparrowhawk also about.
South Lake
Still busy with 22 Avocet, 23 Ruff, a Greenshank, Snipe, a Green Sandpiper, 250 Lapwing, 2 Dunlin, c200 Black-tailed Godwit, 100s Teal with dozens of Tufted Ducks, Shoveler and Gadwall, a few Shelduck and up to 21 Pochard. The Great Crested Grebe joined by Herring, Common, Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the deep lake.
Estuary Tower/Middle point
*Please note that the Shepherds Hut Hide has been removed for the winter and that the section of path between the seawall and the point is wet and muddy, waterproof footwear required*
The Golden Plover flock now up to 129 with the ever mobile Dunlin joining them and the Lapwing on the sands. Flocks of feeding Shelduck, Curlew, Little Egret and Grey Herons are still here each day with Five species of gull- GBB, LBB, Herring, Common and Black-headed on the creeks, pools and mudflats. The bushes are busy with 5+ Chiffchaffs, Cetti's Warbler, Goldfinches, Goldcrests, Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits, Wrens, Dunnocks, Chaffinch and Reed Buntings with a flock of the latter at Middle Point. Cranes join the Greylag, Canada and Barnacle Geese to graze or grub up roots. The Snow x Bar-headed Goose, Swan Goose, Ross's Goose plus three Canada x Greylag are all still with them but most likely escaped or released birds from elsewhere. 200 Wigeon + a few Pintail on the Severn off the Dumbles and three Ruff fed among the Lapwing on the Dumbles.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Five Spotted Redshank among the Redshank, 50 Lapwing and 10 Snipe. Linnets and Goldfinches on the islands with the Pied Wagtails and the usual Little Egret fishing in conjunction with two Cormorants, fascinating to watch. Four Shelduck loafing. The mouth of the Swan Pipe in the NE corner of the top pond is the best place to see Kingfisher at the moment.
Top New Piece
Fifteen Dunlin, 2 Avocet with the 34 Lapwing early morning but the waders are mobile. c450 ducks, mostly Teal, a Reed Warbler (getting late in the season) and Cetti's Warbler below Zeiss Hide.
Estuary Tower
Five Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrests and a as well as the tit flocks and 8 Skylark over Dumbles. Three Crane flew across to Awre. Peregrine was on the cross fence.
Tack Piece
A few hundred duck, mostly Teal but Shoveler and Wigeon with them.
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6 October
At least 11 Cattle Egret visiting the cattle herds on the reserve and canal fields yesterday. A Green Woodpecker at South Lake, a juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit on the Top New Piece and 10 Knot on the Severn of note. Three Swallow over and two Marsh Harrier touring the reserve, a Merlin over the Dumbles and Middle Point late morning + 6 Ringed Plover and c20 Dunlin on the Severn.
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5 October
Van de Bovenkamp Hide- a visitor reported seeing a Bittern in short flight.
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4 October
A moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper visiting the scrapes and Severn with the Dunlin flock and a Merlin on the fence between Top and Bottom New Piece the highlights.
Middle Point
Stonechat pair, 4+ Reed Bunting, 4+ Meadow Pipits, Skylark, 30 Wigeon, Pintail, 19 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, Cormorant, 62 Curlew, 140 Shelduck, 46 Lapwing, 6 Linnet, 19 Dunlin & 1 Curlew Sandpiper (flew to Zeiss to Top New Piece).
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3 October
Five Redwing over the car park, three Goosander (one drake, two ducks) on the Severn over the tide.
Estuary Tower
Brambling calling (first of the season), 3 Chaffinch, 6 Chiffchaff and Wrens in the bushes below.
The Dumbles from Estuary Tower
Three Reed Bunting, 3 Chiffchaff, 165 Barnacle Goose, 43 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Skylark, 1 Meadow pipit, 203 Greylag, 2 Crane, 1 Grey Wagtail, 101 Curlew, 17 Little Egret, 1 Buzzard, 163 Shelduck, 4 Pintail.
South Lake Discovery Hide
Nine Dunlin, 15 Ruff, 3 Greenshank, 1 Great crested Grebe, 280 Teal, 71 Shoveler, 38 Black-headed gull, 22 Avocet, 165 Black-tailed Godwit, 57 Tufted Duck, 18 Cormorant, 15 Pochard.
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2 October
Top New Piece from Zeiss Hide
Nine Dunlin, GW Egret, 2 Redshanks, Spot Red, Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Snipe, 7 Wigeon and 12 Gadwall. The partially leucistic Marsh Harrier still.
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1 October
Top New Piece
60 House Martins and 50 Swallows feeding over here and Dumbles + male Marsh Harrier, 2 Dunlin, 6 Snipe, Ruff and 120 Lapwing among 300 Teal, Reed and Cetti's Warbler, Water Rail calling from the reeds.
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30 September
Top New Piece
Partially leucistic Marsh Harrier still hunting the area, 25 Snipe, 100s Lapwing and Teal, 18 Shoveler, Reed Warbler in the reeds below hide, 4 Avocet. Dumbles- 5 House Martin and 12 Swallow feeding over. Tack Piece- Swan Goose among the Greylags.
Middle Point
On the ebb tide- a dark phase Arctic Skua that has just passed Sharpness/Tites Point and into our recording area heading upriver, 2 Sanderling, 10 Ringed Plover, 11 Dunlin, 143 Shelduck, 3 Little Egret, Great Egret, 29 Curlew, Redshank, 3 Shoveler, 5 Wigeon and Stonechat.
