South Lake puts on a show
After the first part of its annual autumn cut the South Lake was attracting a great selection of birds.
After the first part of its annual autumn cut the South Lake was attracting a great selection of birds.
South Lake
The two adult Little Stint were on the wader scrape this morning, showing well with 127 Dunlin or which two were juveniles. If the stints weren't enough the moulting-fast adult Spotted Redshank was even closer to the hide at times whilst spread across the rest of the scrape were 41 Redshank (three juveniles), 270 Black-tailed Godwit (one juvenile), two Green Sandpiper, four Little-ringed Plover (one adult) and two juvenile Avocet. Also present were 12 Ruff, one of which was colour-ringed - a returning bird we last saw in December 2019 having first appeared in late September 2019. This colour-ringed Ruff (left leg orange - right leg lime flag with code PNT) was ringed as a juvenile female on 25/08/2019 in southern Norway at Makkevika.
Zeiss Hide
The juvenile Cattle Egret dropped in briefly this morning but soon departed. Yesterday this bird was on the Tack Piece, but two adults were also seen flying over the visitor centre. The Top New Piece also held five Little-ringed Plover (two juveniles), four adult Avocet with four chicks, 38 Dunlin (three juveniles), 19 Teal, 15 Lapwing and 27 Gadwall. A Kingfisher also flew through.
Rushy Hide
A flock of 56 Black-tailed Godwit were roosting on the lower pond and at least six Green Sandpiper were also present. An Oystercatcher was on the islands of the upper pond near the Scott House.
Robbie Garnett Hide
Four Green Sandpiper and two adult Little-ringed Plover were on the Tack Piece scrape this morning, with a further two Green Sandpiper round the corner viewed from the Stephen Kirk Hide. A Kestrel was mobbing Buzzard over the Summer Walkway and later a Marsh Harrier was seen along with a Peregrine.
