Next first for the year

Another sign that Spring is on its way with another new arrival for the year with a pair of Mediterranean Gulls back on the South Lake.

Another sign that Spring is on its way with another new arrival for the year with a pair of Mediterranean Gulls back on the South Lake. Both were adults, one with a nearly complete black hood and the second an apparent adult still moulting out of winter plumage with just a black dusting. The first singing Chiffchaff of the year was also heard near the Lesser Flamingo house.

Rushy Hide
We still have our 74 Bewick’s Swans from yesterday along with 64 Shelduck, 165 Pintail and 85 Pochard in for the morning's feed.

Holden Tower
Another 10m+ tide failing to breach the upper shelf of Dumbles but a few hundred Wigeon and 72 Shelduck were floating around on the river. The flock of 150 White-fronted Geese were on the Dumbles along with 6 Cranes and 13 Great Black-backed Gulls. The pair of Peregrine were sat on the fence, five Curlew were on the spartina island and a pair of Oystercatcher were pushed up onto the roost to the south of the cross fence.

Robbie Garnett Hide
The wader roost on the edge of the scrape included 40 Redshank and 15 Ruff, a pair of Oystercatcher were at the north end of the field, a flock of 52 Curlew were spread across the field. Duck included 47 Shelduck along with a few Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Shoveler.

South Lake
Two adult Mediterranean Gulls were on the large island on the wader scrape amongst the Black-headed Gulls. Also on the scrape were 40 Shelduck, 126 Black-tailed Godwit, 40 Avocet, 250+ Dunlin, 500+ Lapwing, 36 Shoveler and two pair of Oystercatcher.

Zeiss Hide
Counts included 206 Lapwing, 380 Dunlin, 280 Golden Plover, 45 Shelduck, 350+ Wigeon, a Kestrel and 50 Teal.

Kingfisher Hide
Birds included 37 Shelduck, two Buzzard and a Little Grebe.

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