Sightings for 25-27 July 2021

Round up of sightings and reserve work

Work party on the Rushy and Tack Piece

*Please note* we have a reserve work party in the Rushy this week to strim and hand weed the shores and islands, to mow hay, strip old gravel from some of the islands and remove it, clean windows, strim the electrified perimeter fence and other tasks to improve viewing and open up areas for more loafing birds.

It will improve the birding for the return passage period with clearer views of the whole area and go a little way to making it a quicker job when we open it up for wintering birds in late September and October.

Due to the current drought/cut off water supply the Tack Piece level is very low, we will take advantage of this situation to build an access track to the new island and add gravel (we were flooded out and couldn't finish this when it was created in 2019), also add gravel to the old island to encourage more birds to use it when water levels are higher allowing closer views though the autumn and winter, perhaps Little-ringed Plover or Avocet might nest there in future.

Sightings so far this week include

Top New Piece

Two Great White Egret (three yesterday), 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Dunlin (13 last few days, high tide is better), 3 Snipe (5 yetserday), Redshank with 2 young, 18 Teal, 84 Canada Geese, 3 Barnacle Geese, lots of Reed Warblers below Zeiss Hide.

Middle Point

Adult Red Knot, 70 Curlew, 30 Dunlin, 30 Shelduck and 600+ Black-headed Gulls (1000+ about ths week as well as and adult Mediterranean Gull that visits the Severn Ground and Rushy over the tide). The Grasshopper Warbler was still reeling yesterday.

South Lake

41 Redshank (1 juv), 7 male Ruff, 8 Little-ringed Plover, 262 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Avocet (1 juvenile), 1 Oystercatcher, 3 Green Sandpipers, juv Little Grebe, pair of Common Tern, 2 Common Gull and 70 Gadwall

Grounds

Green Woodpecker about, a Swift around the visitor centre yesterday, lots of fledged House Martins with parents as well as Swallows. We still have a few singing Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Song Thrush and Greenfinch but they will all go quiet soon!

Rushy

Adult Spotted Redshank with 2 Redshank, 5 Green Sandpiper, 1 Oystercatcher, 5 Avocet (3 juveniles) and the duck broods.

Knott Hide

A juvenile Water Rail has fledged on the pill box pool. A first breeding record for this location.

Duck Decoy

Pair of Little Grebe, a few broods of ducks.

• Share this article