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Fledged Redshank and Lapwing
The scrapes are getting busier as adult waders return from breeding grounds, a juvenile Common Sandpiper and a few juvenile Little-ringed Plovers are among them, both of the latter species are from elsewhere but our two home-grown Little-ringed Plover chicks in the Rushy can now just about fly. Our breeding Redshank and Lapwing have both managed to rear young to the fledging stage, a party of four young Redshank seem to be feeding on estuary mud near to Middle Point and then come into the scrapes over high tide. South Lake has hosted three juvenile Redshank with younger birds on the Top New Piece and Dumbles. At least five Lapwing have fledged, two of them moved from the Bull Ground to the Rushy today, they haven't quite got the full mastery of flight as yet!
Other highlights for today included the following
Middle Point at low tide
70 Curlew at the Frampton on Severn/Saul shore, 61 on the shelf just N of the point and 45 to the S, 88 Avocet distantly to the N, 8+ Oystercatcher and 76 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Redshank on the mud + Little and Great White Egret in the channels.
Tack Piece
Four Little-ringed Plover (2 juveniles), 6 Green Sandpiper, 6 Oystercatcher, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and a flock of Greylag on the field.
Top New Piece
One of the South Lake Ruff moved to here as did 79 Black-tailed Godwits, a few Redshank, 4 broods of Gadwall.
South Lake
Some of the wader flock dispersed after a Buzzard flew through- but three of the four male Ruff, 5 Dunlin, 6 Green Sandpiper, 7 Little-ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 49 Lapwing returned to the scrape, 50+ Gadwall, male Pochard plus the nesting Common Terns.
