Kittiwakes and a spring migrant

Estuary Tower

A very windy night (thanks to Storm Jorge) was followed up with blustery and showery weather, a few Kittiwake were seen making their way up the Severn during the day, these birds probably carry on and migrate overland to the East coast. It was good to see another Spring migrant on site, a Ringed Plover was running about on the short grass in the vicinity of the Dumbles scrape with c250 Lapwing, c20 Golden Plover and c60 Dunlin on the 'saltpans'. An adult and immature Peregrine were also present today. The Barnacle and Canada Goose flock had the usual Bar-headed and Snow x Bar-headed Goose with them. As the tide came in this morning a flock of 119 Russian White-fronted Geese were on a sandbar on the Severn.

Tack Piece

660 Wigeon, 4 Oystercatcher, 71 Curlew (including head started no 29), 16+ Redshank and a few Teal, Shelduck and Lapwing were on the field and flood, something spooked the Wigeon and many left for the estuary. A flock of 26 Ruff (including the leg flagged bird) were feeding in the cut rush zone near to Martin Smith Hide in the morning but they scattered and fed on the Dumbles, a few moved to the South Lake. The single Bewick's Swan (Navalny) remained here for the day.

Rushy Hide

Single Bewick's Swan, 54 Pochard, 90 Pintial, 6 Avocet and 1 Oystercatcher.

Top New Piece/Zeiss Hide

Buzzard on carrion with a Raven keeping an eye on things, 2 Oystercatcher, 40 Lapwing including displaying birds, 210 Wigeon and 90 Teal. 4 Avocet and a few Black-headed Gulls on the flood. Water Rail and Snipe in the reedbed below the hide.

South Lake

Female Goldeneye, 50 Red Knot, 4 Oystercatcher, 200+ Black-tailed Godwit, 36 Avocet, 62 Shoveler, Great Crested Grebe and 33 Pochard were on the deep lake and wader scrape. Two Kingfishers or two individuals flew past the Discovery Hide heading South this morning, hopefully territorial birds that may be digging a nest nearby.

Duck Decoy

Little Grebe on the pond

Kingfisher Hide

Little Grebe and male Kingfisher present with 190 Dunlin and 160 Lapwing on the field.

Van de Bovenkamp Hide

27 Shelduck and 27 Greylag on the Tin Shed field.

South Finger Path/hedge

Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Goldecrest, 4 Treecreeper and 2 Long-tailed Tit showing well from the path. A Kingfisher was fishing from the dragonfly pond fence.

Entrance road fields

Egyptian Goose and Crane

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