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It's a wet one
Today has been punctuated with short and sometimes heavy showers, but the birds are benefitting - mostly
Today has been punctuated with short and sometimes heavy showers, but the birds are benefitting - mostly. After a run of dry weather has left some of our scrapes and ponds a little low, so the rain has helped top up levels and create new feeding opportunities across the reserve. The only downside is sitting out the rain.
Zeiss Hide
This morning's hide round resulted in low numbers of waders as we wait for high tide in the afternoon. Those present included 19 Dunlin, a single Avocet and three Redshank. High tide produced a Red Knot and five Ringed Plover. A Great Egret and an adult Mediterranean Gull were also present mid-morning.
Robbie Garnett and Stephen Kirk Hides
The Tack Piece held a good selection of birds this morning including a Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Snipe, five Black-tailed Godwit, three Lapwing, Redshank, eight Green Sandpiper and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover.
South Lake
The topped up water levels saw the Black-tailed Godwit flock spread out across the scrape this morning, all busy feeding. A total of 211 were counted but other birds had already moved off to the Rushy, Top New Piece and estuary. At least six Ruff and 25 Redshank were also noted, along with a juvenile Little Ringed Plover. Four Cranes flew over heading towards the Tack Piece mid-morning and a Kingfisher was seen flying past the hide windows. For those looking for a challenge, the deep lake is holding a good number of moulting ducks with the drakes in eclipse plumage. Can you find Gadwall, Shoveler, Mallard, Teal and Wigeon here?
Kingfisher Hide
A pair of Roe Deer were in the Bottom New Piece this morning.
Decoy Hide
A Kingfisher flew in and perched on dead branch immediately in front of the hide this morning before moving to the back of the pond and then off down the channel. Also noted were two Mandarin, a juvenile Shoveler and a brood of Tufted Duck. A Chiffchaff was calling along boardwalk.
Rushy Hide
Counts this morning included 21 Lapwing, three Green Sandpiper, two broods of Gadwall, a brood Tufted Duck, an Oystercatcher, a flock of 30 Black-tailed Godwit, three Redshank, a brood of Shelduck, a Common Sandpiper and two Avocet.
