Ruff on the rise

We've seen an increase in the number of Ruff in recent days with a small group of reeves (females) arriving on the reserve.

We've seen an increase in the number of Ruff in recent days with a small group of reeves (females) arriving on the reserve. This morning a total of nine birds were on the Top New Piece from the Zeiss Hide, including four females and a very well marked male whose plumage almost resembles the pattern of that on a summer plumaged Golden Plover with a black throat and white head and band running down either side - a very smart bird, or it will be once its full ruff has developed!

Rushy Hide
A total of 14 Avocet were on the lower pond this morning, a pair of Oystercatcher were on the causeway and 8 pairs of Tufted Duck were on the upper pond along with a drake Shoveler. A second-calendar year Mediterranean Gull was amongst the Black-headed Gulls. Lunchtime saw a party of five Swifts fly over.

South Lake
A different second-calendar year Mediterranean Gull was on the wader scrape this morning along with 7 Avocet.

Kingfisher Hide
Look out for the adult Kingfishers busy feeding their chicks which hatched at the start of the week. We should now see a busy period where they will bring back up to 100 fish per day before the young fledge near the end of the month. Also seen from the hide were the pair of Little Grebe on the pond along with a Grey Heron, a Cuckoo was singing from the willow trees, whilst out on the Bottom New Piece were 3 Redshank and 6 Avocet.

Zeiss Hide
A total of 9 Ruff were on the scrape along with 251 Black-tailed Godwit and 12 Avocet. The Lapwing family of 4 chicks were still out in the field along with 3 Redshank.

Robbie Garnett Hide
The Tack Piece is approaching full summer mode where numbers of birds drop. This morning saw 9 Avocet, a pair of Oystercatcher and 7 of the last 10 Wigeon of the winter along with 10 Gadwall.

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