Humbugs!

Our first Shelduck-lings of the year were seen today, with a brood of seven humbugs floating around with their parents

Our first Shelduck-lings of the year were seen today, with a brood of seven humbugs floating around with their parents near to the Martin Smith Hide.

Kingfisher Hide
The Kingfisher pair continue to be very active at present, with lots of feeding trips to the nest hole. A short visit to the hide and you'll be rewarded. This morning a total of 11 fish were delivered in 90 minutes. A drake Mandarin was also seen, and the surrounding reeds and scrub are filled with birdsong include Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting. The Crane family were on the Bottom New Piece.

Knott Hide
Lots of Reed Warbler activity here this morning with birds chasing one another around the reeds and flycatching over the pond. The Little Grebe adult was busy with two remaining chicks.

Robbie Garnett
A quieter Tack Piece now compared to the winter months, but still a flavour of winter with a drake Pochard and drake Wigeon present. The former is likely to be a breeding birds that has stayed but the latter is likely an injured or exhausted bird unable to make the migration back to its breeding grounds this year. Also of note were a Little Egret, 12 Avocet and 36 Shelduck.

Decoy Hide
A Little Egret was perched up in the trees, with birds on the pond including 15 Shelduck and a pair of Tufted Duck.

Summer Walkway / Middle Point
No sign of the Bluethroat today, but the breeze won't be helping encourage it up to the tops of the reeds and sing. There is however lots of Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting action in the reedbed, with singing Meadow Pipit and Skylark nearby.

Rushy Hide
A drake Garganey was asleep at the back of the upper pond this morning, and is one of at least three (if not four) drakes on the reserve at present. The male Cuckoo was singing from the willow trees at the back of the lower pond, after a spell singing in the car park. From the Rushy he moved on to the Decoy and Canoe Safari.

Estuary Tower
Four Crane were on the Dumbles this morning, including two unringed birds and our pair Kia & Chocolo who sadly lost their chick(s) earlier this week. A count of 36 Avocet were on the scrape and islands.

South Lake
Broods of Avocet continue to hatch with at least 30 chicks now scattered in family groups across the scrape, including a brood of six chicks made up of five eggs from a nest and an adopted chick from another brood. The Crane pair were on the back of the scrape brooding their single chick, with the second egg remaining unhatched on the island.

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