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Getting busy on the river
A very productive high tide yesterday evening saw good numbers of birds present of a wide variety of species
A very productive high tide yesterday evening saw good numbers of birds present of a wide variety of species. The tides are increasing in height again as the week progresses, peaking on Friday with high tide around 10am so why not head out to Middle Point at the end of the Summer Walkway and see what you can see?
Middle Point / Summer Walkway (yesterday evening)
A large flock of small waders were feeding widely across the high mud shelf with an estimate of 300+ Dunlin and 180+ Ringed Plover. As the tide wasn't particularly high there was plenty of space for them to spread out. Mixed in with them were 58 Avocet, 14 Redshank, 11 Sanderling, 16 Knot, our first juvenile Ruff of the year, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Turnstone, 4 Oystercatcher, 150+ Black-tailed Godwit and a summer plumaged Grey Plover. The Spoonbill and 13 Little Egret were roosting on the spartina island and the breakwater to the south.
South Lake
Slightly reduced numbers with the higher water levels following the weekend's rain, but still a busy wader scrape with 21 Redshank, 10 adult Ruff, 311 Black-tailed Godwit including 2 juveniles, 52 Teal, 70 Gadwall, the well grown Little-ringed Plover chick, a colour-ringed head-started Curlew and 148 Lapwing. The deep lake held 17 Tufted Duck, a Little Grebe and 5 Shoveler.
Zeiss Hide
An adult and juvenile Ruff were on the Top New Piece along with 2 Redshank, 108 Lapwing, 72 Teal, a Green Sandpiper and 10 Avocet.
Robbie Garnett Hide
A Common Sandpiper was on the shoreline of the Tack Piece scrape. Also noted were 19 Black-tailed Godwit, a Green Sandpiper and 21 Teal.
Rushy Hide
At least 7 Green Sandpiper were feeding around the lower pond along with an adult Little-ringed Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Teal and 8 Lapwing.
The car park was busy with migrating warblers this morning with several Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler mixed in with small flocks of Chiffchaff and a Sedge Warbler all seen.
