The first frosts of winter
It has been a cold start on the reserve for the last couple of days with frost on the ground and temperatures dipping down to freezing
It has been a cold start on the reserve for the last couple of days, with frost on the ground and temperatures dipping down to freezing.
Our single Bewick's Swan, Allington, remains on the Rushy but has also begun venturing out on to the Tack Piece. This great photo was taken by our volunteer Guide in the Hide Jonathan Bull. You can see his tweet here.
South Lake
The Spoonbill arrived early morning from the estuary to join 12 Black-tailed Godwit, a Red Knot, 78 Shoveler, a pair Great Crested Grebe, 450+ Teal, 106 Tufted Duck, 26 Pochard, 12 Cormorant and 37 Lapwing.
Zeiss Hide
Around 1200+ Teal were on the Top New Piece this morning along with 12 Pintail, 12 Wigeon, four Gadwall, nine Shoveler, a Water Rail was in the reedbed rides and three Snipe, two Cetti's Warbler and a Grey Heron were noted.
Robbie Garnett Hide
Our first Fieldfare of the year was calling from the hedgerow around the Tack Piece. On the scrape and venturing out on to the first small patches of winter flooding were 86 Wigeon, 172 Teal, a Spotted Redshank, five Redshank, 223 Lapwing and two Shoveler.
Estuary Tower
A small flock of 94 Wigeon were on the Dumbles riverbank this morning along with a roost of 36 Great Black-backed Gulls. Birds on mudflats as the tide dropped included the five White-fronted Geese (2 adults with a juvenile and a second pair of adults), eight Curlew, four Pintail, three Grey Heron, five Little Egret, three Cormorant and 14 Shelduck. A flock of 18 Siskin flew over the hide and a group of five very vocal Raven flew out over the river.
Willow Hide
A Coal Tit was in the trees nearby - an unusual visitor to the reserve.
