January WeBS, WinGS and sightings for the week ending 26 January
22 January
The Glossy Ibis remained on site today, as is typical for this species it was always on the move. It has been seen at the Tack Piece, Rushy, South Lake and entrance road fields.
Estuary Tower
Pair of Bullfinch in the hedge, two Little Stints on the Dumbles scrape.
South Lake
Green Woodpecker in the trees along the East side of the lake. The first winter Spoonbill still using the deep lake islands as a roost but was feeding on the Tack Piece as well. Single Great Crested Grebe, 9 Avocet, 62 Pochard, 16 Ruff, 2 Pintail, 500 Lapwing, 54 Shoveler and10 Gadwall.
Zeiss Hide
Single Water Rail, 142 Wigeon on the lawns, 3 Snipe, 8 Bewick's Swans and 50 White fronted geese flew over into the mist.
Kingfisher Hide
Stonechat and a Little grebe
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21 January
A Glossy Ibis was seen on the Tack Piece, then Rushy and flew off toward South Lake at lunchtime today. This was the 106th species of bird recorded in our area since New Year's Day.
A site count of 135 Pochard (120 males and 15 females)
WinGS (Winter Gull Survey)
We will be assisting with a co-ordinated count of the gull roost on the Severn this evening. Results should follow next week.
South Lake
77 Russian White-fronted Geese returned to the wader scrape but have now flown back to the fields, 2cy Spoonbill, GC Grebe, 21m 4f Pochard, Dunlin among 450 Lapwing, 9 Avocet and 2 Black-tailed Godwits. Green and Great spotted Woodpeckers were along the East side of the lake, often in the oaks.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Two Whooper Swan, 68 Bewick's Swan, single Mute Swan, 67m 7f Pochard, 50+ Pintail. Tack Piece- early morning 23 Ruff, 9 Redshank, 400 Wigeon, 120 Teal.
Estuary Tower
Peregrine on the cross fence and Little Stint on the scrape but flew off to Tack Piece.
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20 January
WeBS
Due to the high tides both falling in the dark last Sunday, the Severn estuary counters moved the date back a week to make an accurate count.
Full WeBS count summary follows.
| Canada Goose | 457 | ||
| Barnacle Goose | 203 | ||
| Greylag Goose | 457 | ||
| White-fronted Goose (European - albifrons) | 64 | ||
| Mute Swan | 175 | ||
| Bewick's Swan | 70 | ||
| Whooper Swan | 2 | ||
| Shelduck | 364 | ||
| Shoveler | 196 | ||
| Gadwall | 66 | ||
| Wigeon | 1609 | ||
| Mallard | 586 | ||
| Pintail | 348 | ||
| Teal | 1044 | ||
| Pochard | 148 | ||
| Tufted Duck | 372 | ||
| Goldeneye | 2 | ||
| Goosander | 1 | male | |
| Great Crested Grebe | 1 | ||
| Grey Heron | 8 | ||
| Little Egret | 3 | ||
| Cormorant | 13 | ||
| Water Rail | 7 | ||
| Moorhen | 75 | ||
| Coot | 75 | ||
| Avocet | 9 | ||
| Lapwing | 2871 | ||
| Golden Plover | 1200 | ||
| Ringed Plover | 1 | ||
| Curlew | 238 | ||
| Black-tailed Godwit | 5 | ||
| Ruff | 24 | ||
| Dunlin | 644 | ||
| Little Stint | 1 | ||
| Snipe | 43 | ||
| Redshank | 14 | ||
| Kingfisher | 2 | ||
| Black-headed Gull | 118 | ||
| Great Black-backed Gull | 20 | ||
| Herring Gull | 18 | ||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | 2 | ||
| Ross's Goose | 1 | ||
| Hybrid goose | 9 | 1 Snow x Bar-headed 3 Canada x Greylag 1 Canada x Barnacle 4 Canada x Farmyard | |
| Black Swan | 1 | ||
| Green-winged Teal | 1 | male wintering, seen to at least 19 January but no time to search for it whilst counting today. | |
| Spoonbill | 1 | ||
| Cattle Egret | 12 | ||
| Great White Egret | 2 | ||
| Crane | 11 |
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19 January
South Lake
The second calendar year Spoonbill was still on the deep lake islands mid morning + 10 Cormorant, flocks of Pochard and Tufted Ducks and GC Grebe, the causeways and islands have c500 Lapwing, 140 Dunlin , 5 Black-tailed Godwit and 9 Avocet + flocks of Teal and Shoveler.
Top New Piece from Zeiss Hide
The drake Green-winged Teal was back on the flood and fleet.
