Sightings and news to week ending 30 March
* Thursday 27 March. Please note that we have a building inspection and window cleaning on the Top Pond of the Rushy from early in the morning. Fitting these tasks in now we reach the end of the winter season and before the breeding birds settle down *
The breeding season and Spring migration is gearing up now.
Wednesday 26 March
Kingfisher Hide
126 Russian White-fronted Geese (but flock moved to Dumbles) Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Bullfinch, male and female Kingfisher, male and female Reed Bunting, Treecreeper, Mute Swan nesting and Shelducks.
Tack Piece
Two White Wagtail, two Spoonbill, Tack Piece- a Little-ringed Plover dropped in briefly but flew off again NE, 2 Pied Wagtails, a few Pintail with the Teal/Wigeon flocks + 4 Cranes.
South Lake
63 Avocet, 15 Black-tailed Godwit, 16 Tufted Duck, 32 Shoveler, 24 Gadwall, 2 Oystercatcher.
Top New Piece
129 Wigeon, 20 Shelduck, 23 Avocet, 124 Teal, 24 Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Little Egret, Cetti's Warbler, Buzzard.
Tuesday 25 March
Estuary Tower/Dumbles
Two Little Stints on the scrape and islands among the ducks. Male Marsh Harrier and female Kestrel both hunting
South Lake
Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff all singing at Discovery Hide, 42 Black-tailed Godwit, 74 Avocet, 2 pairs of Oystercatcher, GC Grebe, 10 Cormorant, flocks of Tufted Duck, Teal and Gadwall.
Tack Piece
Flock of six Spoonbill still on scrape shore, three White Wagtails with the Pied Wagtails, 5 Cranes, 2 Redshank, 2 Curlew, flocks of Wigeon with 7 Pintail, 50 Teal and 30 Shoveler.
Top New Piece
99 Teal, 5 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 90 Wigeon.
Decoy/Withy Bed
Blackcap singing.
Kingfisher Hide
The pair of Kingfishers and 126 Russian White-fronted Geese on the Four Score Ground.
South Finger
A Firecrest and three Goldcrest in the hedge and scrub near to the Dragonfly Pond. Willow Warbler singing.
Monday 24 March
A huge NE movement of 1000+ Kittiwake occurred yesterday with more seen birds this morning, a party of 15 were over the Severn in the murky conditions this morning but the 300+ seen further downriver at Severn Beach were not picked up by observers here. A new arrival involving four Spoonbills was of note, they joined the two that have been on site to make six and all gathered in the Tack Piece for a time. As ever they were mobile and flew off but returned.
Lapwings (around 25) and Redshank (8) are in territorial areas with the former performing the tumbling display flights when they attract an onlooker. The Bottom New Piece (from Kingfisher Hide) and Top New Piece (from Van de Bovenkamp and Zeiss Hides) are best to catch up with pairs of these waders.
The Rooks are very active, over 130 nests have now been built.
Other sightings for today included the following.
Tack Piece
At least a couple of White Wagtails and a pair of Pied Wagtails.
Willow/Knott Hide
Two Swallows again feeding over the Pill Box Pool.
South Lake Discovery Hide
Willow Warbler singing, 70+ Avocet flushed by a hunting Goshawk early morning, numbers increased to 91 here later. Two pairs of Oystercatcher, among the ducks with 47 Gadwall of note. A flock of 25+ Sand Martins fed over the lake.
South Finger
Willow Warbler singing near the viewing screen. Over 100 Russian White-fronted Geese were in the Four Score Ground.
Top New Piece
Flocks of Avocet, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon, Shelduck and a few pairs of Redshank and Lapwing, 4 Russian White-fronted Geese came in to drink but returned to the flock on the Four Score Ground.
Rushy Hide
Non-breeding plumage Bar-tailed Godwit with 28 Black-tailed Godwit on the lower pond for a time this morning, it was also seen on South Lake. A few Pintail and a pair of Pochard among the usual duck species. A male Blackcap was singing outside the hide.
Cranes
Display dancing and mating all noted so far this season with some nest building at South Lake and Top New Piece. A quartet of young birds are often on the Tack Piece plus an older ringed bird; Evie.
Kingfishers
Brilliant viewing down at the Kingfisher Hide, the male and female are attending the nest hole and must now be laying eggs as they prepare to incubate. It's a good time to visit to see them. Although you can encounter these birds anywhere on site, this is the best place to see them. We often have Guides in the Hides on duty to help you to gain good views.
