Here we go

It looks like we've got our timings a little out as the Kingfisher chicks were fledging this morning!

It looks like we've got our timings a little out as the Kingfisher chicks were fledging this morning! Two chicks were waiting in the willow tree near the nest as both parents were busy ferrying food to them. Later in the morning a third chick had made it out of the nest, but the male was seen to enter the nest hole again with a fish and leave without it, so we may have more chicks to come or he may have just been grabbing a quick meal himself.

More young are popping up elsewhere on the reserve with the first brood of Shelduck on the South Finger Reedbed this morning and the first Black-headed Gull chicks were seen on the South Lake. We've also got several Mallard broods and lots of growing Greylags around too. It won't be long before many more Shelduck will hatch, along with the first Tufted Duck, Shoveler and Gadwall.

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Rushy Hide
A Red Kite flew over this morning much to the upset of the Avocets. A total of 38 Avocet were on the lower pond this morning, whilst a female Little-ringed Plover was on the upper pond islands. Two second-calendar year Mediterranean Gulls were present this morning whilst duck included 5 drake Gadwall and a single drake Shoveler.

South Lake
The non-breeding plumage Bar-tailed Godwit was still present this morning in the Black-tailed Godwit flock which numbered 52 birds. The Oystercatcher pair still have three chicks hiding in the vegetation and the first Black-headed Gull chicks have also hatched. A Mediterranean Gull was seen, a Stock Dove could be heard calling from the oak trees, and on the deep lake were a Little Grebe and a pair of Great Crested Grebe chasing off a third bird. A Common Sandpiper was also seen.

Robbie Garnett Hide
A Greenshank was feeding along the shoreline to the north this morning along with two Avocet, a single Oystercatcher, a Little Egret, 6 Wigeon and a pair of Teal. Another Oystercatcher was at the western end of the scrape near the Stephen Kirk Hide.

Knott Hide
The Lesser Whitethroat was still singing from hedgerow behind reedbed.

Zeiss Hide
A flock of 5 Greenshank were at the north end of the scrape this morning along with a single drake Garganey. Spread across the rest of the water-body were 26 Redshank, 26 Avocet, 4 drake Shoveler, an Oystercatcher, at least 3 Lapwing broods and two Black-tailed Godwit. A Grey Heron was hunting in the reedbed channel in front of the hide and a pair of Little Grebe were on the open water in front of the Van de Bovenkamp Hide. Over the seawall on the Dumbles a Spoonbill could be seen roosting at high tide and a flock of 11 Grey Plover were briefly seen in flight before dropping in to roost.

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