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Shovelers on South Lake
South Lake hosted at least 106 Shoveler this morning, many males had begun to display, the wind has dropped making it easier to have a greater impact on a potential partner. The sounds and splashing forms an important part of the display.The wader scrape was busy with males attempting to attract a mate. March and April can be a good time to catch up with numbers of this distinctive filter feeder as migrants drop in.
The Black-tailed Godwit count fell a little short of the record count that was posted yesterday-526 birds were counted this morning, 143 on the Top New Piece and 383 on the Tack Piece after something spooked the flock from the South Lake.
South Lake
515 Black-tailed Godwit were counted before they were frightened off (see above for site total). The male Ruff was among them. Lower numbers of Avocet were present here this morning, many pairs chose the Top New Piece, Dumbles and Rushy to feed or pair bond. The usual Cormorants and Great Crested Grebe were on the deep lake with a few Tufted Ducks and c50 Black-headed Gulls in the colony. From the Hogarth Hide a (2cy-second calendar year) Mediterranean Gull was roosting with the Common and Black-headed Gulls. 7+ individuals have been noted over the last seven days or so. A Chiffchaff sang between the hides.
Rushy Hide
9 Avocet were on the lower pond, only six Pintail remained, this small party and a single female Pochard were pick of the ducks among the 34 Teal, 18 Tufted Ducks, 30+ Mallard, 2 Shoveler and 4 Gadwall.
Tack Piece
400 Wigeon remained with 16 Redshank with the 383 Black-tailed Godwit. 140+ Barnacle Geese also hosted the Bar-headed x Snow Goose hybrid.
Holden Tower
Six Cranes including one unringed adult, the two Peregrines were on the cross fence with 151 E. White-fronted Geese feeding on the Dumbles (a few were in the Tack Piece) with 48 Curlew, 14 Avocet, 2 Oystercatcher and 120 Shelduck (majority feeding on the Severn).
Zeiss Hide
37 Avocet, 143 Black-tailed Godwit, plenty of displaying Lapwing and 140 Wigeon + a few Snipe hidden in the rushes.
Kingfisher Hide
The male Kingfisher was on duty near the nest hole. Out on the Bottom New Piece field -173 Golden Plover, 30+ Lapwing, a Redshank, a Little Egret and c30 Teal were on the flood. A Water Rail swam across the pond near the hide and actually dived under when panicked. One of the GCP Cranes-Rosa was displaying to a juvenile Crane, perhaps Oakie and Sherbert's offspring.
