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Further arrival of Bewick's Swans
The Bewick's Swan flock increased from 11 over night to 17, the birds headed out to the Tack Piece initially and then on to the Dumbles and estuary. All of them, flew in after just after 4pm in perfect sunset conditions, four were rather nervous and went out again, they should learn the routine over the coming weeks.
Some highlights and counts as follows
Rushy Hide
89 male and 31 female Pochard among the 100s of Tufted Duck. The Pochard x Ferruginous hybrid and Pochard x Ring-necked Duck? hybrid remained on the top pond, a pair of Wigeon were on the causeway with the hybrid male Chiloe x American Wigeon also present. The Bar-headed Goose arrived late afternoon with 200 Greylags. A large gathering of Jackdaw prior to roost was noticeable along with 100s of Starling flying through to roost somewhere else.
Tack Piece
21 Curlew, 32 Redshank, Wigeon, Teal, Dunlin and Lapwing on the flood first thing this morning.
Estuary Tower
8 Pink-footed Geese, flocks of Canada Geese, 215 Dunlin, 150 Lapwing, 90 Golden Plover 70 Wigeon, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting and a large flock of Fieldfare and Redwing along the hedges.
Willow Hide
Cetti's Warbler and Water Rail.
South Lake
150+ Shoveler, 218 Red Knot (also spent time on the Top New Piece), 14 Ruff, 550+ Black-tailed Godwit (also on TNP).
Four Chiffchaff in the willows included the tristis type bird.
Top New Piece
27 Snipe, 600+ Teal, the waders mentioned above.
Kingfisher Hide/Bottom New Piece
Bittern showed very well here today, was also seen on the Top New Piece from Zeiss Hide. 2 juvenile Greenland White-fronted Geese, 37 Russian White-fronted Geese, 206 Barnacle and 98 Canada Geese.
