Record Black-tailed Godwit count

The South Lake Black-tailed Godwit flock has been increasing steadily since last week. The wader scrape has been the favoured roost site for this elegant wader and today was no exception. 549 were counted at rest this morning with a further 24 on the Tack Piece and a single on another flooded field. The site total came to a whopping 574! The birds that overwintered have been joined by migrants from Spain/Portugal, many are sporting the lovely red breeding plumage. We will continue to monitor the flock to see if this count can be beaten before they set off for breeding grounds in Iceland.

Other sightings

Rushy Hide

Numbers continue to drop with 23 Pintail and 3 Pochard remaining on the ponds. Redshank, a pair of Oystercatcher, four pairs of Avocet and the growing colony of Black-headed Gulls also featured.

Tack Piece

450 Wigeon, 10 Shoveler, 24 Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, 10 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher and 65 Curlew fed on the floods and scrape. The Bar-headed x Snow Goose was with 146 Barnacle Geese.

Holden Tower

A pair of Peregrine with a kill early morning and hunting again at midday, a male Merlin, 6 Cranes, 147 E. White-fronted Geese, 7 Barnacle Geese, small numbers of Canada and Greylag Goose, 10+ Skylark, 42 Lapwing, 60 Starling, a couple of Linnets were all on the Dumbles.

South Lake

Kingfisher, 2 Great Crested and Little Grebe, pair of Pochard, 3 Knot, the godwit flock, 59 Avocets, 65+ Shoveler and a 3cy Mediterranean Gull among the highlights. Chiffchaff singing on the N side.

Zeiss Hide

140 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 9 Avocet, 51 Lapwing and singing Reed Bunting.

Kingfisher Hide

Pair of Kingfisher, 470 Golden Plover, 14 Snipe, 27 Lapwing and 30 Teal. Singing Reed Bunting and Cetti's Warbler.

Duck Decoy

Two Bullfinch, singing Chiffchaff and singing Greenfinch.

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