Sightings and news to week ending 23 February
An ongoing record of what's been seen around the reserve.
On Sunday the 2nd of March we will have an Optics day in the Peng Observatory from 11am- 3pm, follow this link to find out more.
A very blustery day resulted in some very skittish birds and no Bewick’s swans on the Rushy first thing for the feed. With the wind conditions swinging round to the Southwest the first 11 Bewick’s appear to have set off on their journey back to Artic Russia! 61 Bewick’s swans were counted between the Tack piece and the Dumbles as well as the 2 Whooper swans.
Discovery Hide
On South Lake there were 58 Black-tailed Godwit, around 200 Dunlin, 300 Lapwing and a crowd of Tufted Duck, Pochard and Teal were in the margins seeking cover among the willows.
Hogarth Hide
Avocet numbers have continued to increase with 77 birds now present on South Lake.
Zeiss Hide
There were around 200 Dunlin on the small islands trying to find shelter, 60 Shelduck were on the water and 3 Snipe were in the first two ‘rides’ of the Reedbed. Again, Teal and Wigeon were hiding in the margins sheltering from the wind.
Van de Bovenkamp Hide
A Sparrowhawk was seen over the Top New Piece causing disturbance to the other birds.
South Finger.
There were 105 White-fronted Geese on the Bottom New Piece and 1 Little Grebe, Gadwall and Tufted Duck on the water in front of the Hide.
Robbie Garnett
The Black Swan was on the Tack Piece with 4 Cranes (Evie & 3 unringed), 43 Curlew, 19 Redshank, 2 Ruff, Oystercatcher, 1135 Wigeon, 62 Shoveler, 61 Teal, 43 Tufted Duck, 27 Pintail, 13 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall and a flock of Pochard too.
Estuary Tower
From the Tower, 1 Little Stint was still on the muddy edges of the main Scrape there was also 1 Peregrine sat on the Dumbles, 2 Oystercatcher, 187 Barnacle Geese and 10 White-fronted Geese flew by to the Tack Piece. There was also 1 Pink-footed Goose, 31 Shelduck, 33 Teal, 21 Shoveler, 14 Pintail and 10 Wigeon. On the Long Ground Pool there were 169 Tufted Duck, 42 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall as well as 6 male and 1 female Pochard. On the Pillbox Pool there were 93 Wigeon.
Thursday 20 February
Kingfisher Hide
To the South there were 122 White-fronted geese in the four-score field, 2 Little Grebe on the water and 1 Siskin on the feeders.
South Lake
The number of Avocet continued to increase to 42 and they were joined by 4 Oystercatcher, 4 Godwit and a very flighty flock of Lapwing.
Zeiss Hide
From Zeiss Hide there were around 400 Dunlin, a large flock of Lapwing, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Great Egret, 2 Oystercatchers and a mixed flock of Teal, Wigeon, Shelduck and Mallard.
Robbie Garnett Hide
On the Tack piece the Juvenile Spoonbill fed for a while alongside 79 Curlew, 3 Ruff, 7 Redshank, and mixed flock of Teal, Wigeon, Pintail, Shelduck, Tufted Duck and Pochard.
Estuary Tower
On the Dumbles there were 14 Shoveler, 49 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 5 Teal, 132 Barnacle Geese, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 male Marsh Harrier and 1 Little stint. On the Long ground Pool to the south there were 64 Tufted Duck, 45 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, 27 Teal, and 5 Gadwall.
Martin Smith
From the Martin Smith Hide there were 7 Shoveler, 18 Teal, 24 Wigeon, 7 Tufted Duck and from Willow Hide there was 1 Water rail.
Rushy
There were still 72 Bewick's swan and the 2 Whooper swans in the morning with 29 Pochard, 1 Black swan, 53 Pintail, 165 Lapwing, 54 Dunlin, 9 Curlew and 2 Oystercatchers.
Wednesday 19 February
Rushy Lake
We still had 72 Bewick's swans and the 2 Whooper swans first thing this morning.
Estuary Tower
From the tower there were 2 Little Stint on the middle scrape island, 1 male Bullfinch, and c50 White-fronted geese visible too.
Hogarth Hide
On South Lake the Juvenile Spoonbill reappeared by itself at 14:00.
Tack piece
There were 8 Cranes, 2 Oystercatcher, 8 Curlew, 3 Wigeon, 3 Redshank and 2 Buzzard fighting over some food.
Willow Hide
A Water rail was showing well under the feeders, Chaffinch, Goldcrest too as well as a Teal and a Woodpecker was drumming in the trees beyond.
South Finger/Kingfisher Hide
One Green Woodpecker was spotted by the dragonfly pool and out from the Kingfisher Hide there was 1 Buzzard, 2 Little Grebe and a Little Egret.
Zeiss Hide
On the back scrape there were 75 Shelduck, 200 Wigeon, 1 Water Rail, 1 Great Egret, 137 Barnacle Geese and the 1 Ross's Goose.
Discovery Hide
On the South Lake there were 27 Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 500 Lapwing, 106 Shoveler, 46 Pochard, and 2 Oystercatcher.
Tuesday 18 February
Estuary Tower
There was one Little Stint on right hand side of the scrape
Robbie Garnett Hide
Mid-afternoon an Adult Spoonbill joined the long staying juvenile we have had on site and they fed together out on the Tack piece. Also, in the afternoon there were 110 White-fronted Geese, 8 cranes (all but 1 unringed, including 2 juveniles) and 18 ruff.
Kingfisher Hide
The feeders were busy with a variety of birds including a male Siskin.
Rushy Lake
At first light there were 72 Bewick's, 2 Whooper swans and a Great white Egret flew over.
Discovery Hide
In the morning there were 17 Avocet, 4 Oystercatchers, 3 Common Gull among a flock of Black-headed gull, a large mixed flock of Lapwing, Golden Plover and Dunlin that were flushed by a Peregrine. The Juvenile Spoonbill was also there with 51 Pochard, 1 Grey Heron and 20 Shelduck.
Martin Smith Hide
In front of Martin Smith there were 4 Snipe, 3 Lapwing, 32 Wigeon, 24 Teal, 6 Shoveler and 1 Crane flew overhead.
Monday 17 February
Rushy Lake
71 Bewick's swan and 2 Whooper swans still present this morning.
Tack Piece
In the afternoon there were124 White-fronted geese and 11 Cranes on the Tack Piece. There were also 3 Marsh Harrier seen further North over the reserve.
Estuary Tower
The Spoonbill was visible from the tower in front of the Robbie Garnett Hide and the Little Stint was visible on the main Scrape for most of the day.
Zeiss Hide
From the Zeiss Hide there were 95 Wigeon, 25 Teal, 78 Shelduck, a pair of Oyster catcher and a singing Reed Bunting.
South Lake
On the Wader scrape there were 400 Lapwing including a leucistic individual, 150 Dunlin, 19 Avocet and 2 Black-tailed Godwit. There was also a pair of Oystercatcher and 150 Common Gull too.
Grounds
In the Spinney near Zeiss Hide there was a Great-spotted Woodpecker drumming. Also, a mobile flock of Siskin, Goldfinch, Redpoll and a Tree Creeper were encountered in the Alder trees before the Hogarth Hide bridge.
South Finger/Kingfisher Hide
Down the South Finger walkway there was a Hare resting on the bank. And then at the Kingfisher Hide there was another Great-spotted Woodpecker, 3 Roe deer, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, Stonechat, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Kestrel and 12 Gadwall. The feeders were busy too with Greenfinch, Siskin and Coal Tit.
