The rides are ready

On Wednesday we cut the rides in the reedbed outside the Zeiss Hide, ready for the winter. On their first full day they were already attracting a certain species...

On Wednesday we cut the rides in the reedbed outside the Zeiss Hide, ready for the winter with help from staff from Bennett Cranes, a local company who are supporting habitat work on the reserve. Today the rides were already attracting the desired species with a Bittern and Water Rail seen this afternoon.

Zeiss Hide
The first Bittern sighting of the day was from the South Finger Reedbed, where it was flushed from the first dragonfly pool along the walkway, another area which has been opened up this week. The next Bittern sighting reported was from the newly cut reedbed rides outside the Zeiss Hide around 2:30pm. The morning's counts from the Top New Piece included the two Spoonbill, and hidden amongst the flock of Canada and Greylag Geese were an Egyptian Goose and a Bar-headed Goose. The freshly cleared islands attracted in five Pintail amongst the duck, and two Snipe were along the shoreline with seven Ruff (four juveniles), a Green Sandpiper and a juvenile Black-tailed Godwit.

In the afternoon, shortly after the Bittern sighting, the four adult Spotted Redshank dropped in along with more Ruff, a few Redshank and the rest of the Black-tailed Godwit flock. Another two Green Sandpiper and a juvenile Garganey were also seen.

Peng Observatory
Two juvenile Garganey were on the upper pond this lunchtime.

Middle Point
A Turnstone, a juvenile Little Stint, a Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper and a Greenshank were with 46 Ringed Plover and nine Dunlin on the mudflat immediately south of the point. Also counted were 27 Little Egret, 15 Grey Heron, and 65 Curlew. A distant small wader flock was to the north, and a Wheatear was along the riverbank. Two Whinchat were on the cross fence and a good hirundine passage was taking place overhead.

An evening roost count around high tide produced 300 Ringed Plover, 13 Curlew Sandpiper, 11 Sanderling, 148 Dunlin, a Ruff, three Turnstone, seven Little Stint, 139 Curlew, 20 Little Egret, two Spoonbill, 159 Barnacle Geese, 61 Teal, seven Pintail, three Grey Heron and 36 Great Black-backed Gull.

Kingfisher Hide
Three Cattle Egret were with the longhorn cattle in the Bottom New Piece.

South Lake
The juvenile Black Tern was still over the deep lake this morning. The wader scrape held three Ruff and a Redshank with 384 Black-tailed Godwit during the morning count.

Summer Walkway
A Spotted Flycatcher was in the hedge near the Pillbox.

Rushy Hide
To start the day the four adult and one juvenile Spotted Redshank were on the lower pond with 13 Redshank, 28 Black-tailed Godwit, two Greenshank, four Snipe, an Avocet, plus seven adult and two juvenile Ruff. A Little Egret was on the upper pond.

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