New bus service launching this summer, with access to WWT Slimbridge. Find out more.
23-25 September sightings and seasonal Rushy work update
*Please note-Seasonal work on the Rushy*
Following the completion of a couple of days of essential site management tasks in July we are about to enter the latest annual phase of habitat and building maintenance work. The work party resumes on Tuesday 26 September and will continue to Friday 29 September at least. Another work period in October prior to the main winter bird arrivals is also scheduled to check bubblers, coppice and pollard trees, clean windows, clear sewage pumps and complete a final cut.
This week we’ll be working on the buildings – Scott House, Old Swan Obs, Peng Obs etc, as well as carrying out island restoration and repairs, anti-erosion repairs, repair the barrow access track, repair the spillway cascade, manage compost heaps, clear encroaching vegetation on the lower pond and create a flood pools on the meadow along with any other jobs that need covering.
All the birds here will relocate to other scrapes for a time, the water levels on Top New Piece, South Lake and Tack Piece are very good, we have 14 hides and numerous outdoor opportunities to enjoy these birds around the reserve so keep an eye on our Twitter feed for sightings or ask at the admissions desk for information, we have a tablet and diary for you to see what's happening, as for the birds they’ll return to the site to roost at the end of the day when we will be done and out of the way to let them settle in for the evening.
Sightings for Monday 25 September
South Lake
Four Spoonbill (flew off toward TNP, all un-ringed), Spotted Redshank (6th individual on site), 7 Redshank, 1 Ruff (at least 32 on site today), 120+ Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Snipe and flocks of Teal and Shoveler. A few Siskins over.
Top New Piece
Juvenile Wood Sandpiper, 31 Ruff, 5 Spotted Redshank + 250 Teal.
Estuary Tower
Four Chiffchaff.
Knott Hide
Reed Warbler and Chiffchaff+ Siskin over the Duck Decoy.
Tack Piece
Four Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler and Lapwing.
Middle Point
A juvenile Common Tern among the regular five gull species, steady stream of Swallows moving downriver (1000s through yesterday), 10 Knot and 100s distant Ringed Plover/Dunlin. A Tree Pipit flew over calling heading South, pair of Stonechat, 4 Reed Buntings and a few Meadow Pipits on the fence, mobile Skylarks on the Dumbles, Peregrine, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, c10 Knot + 3 Golden Plover in flight, 2 Golden Plover + 6 Ruff out on on the sands.
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Sunday 24 September
Middle Point
Eleven Sanderling and 13 Golden Plover on the sands. A distant flock of Ringed Plover/Dunlin, closer group of 5 Dunlin and a Little Stint + 4 Bar-tailed Godwit with Curlew closer in.
Top New Piece
23 Ruff and 4 Spoonbills.
South Lake
Spotted Redshank, 11 Redshank, 166 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Snipe, c60 Lapwing, 8 Ruff + flocks of Teal and Shoveler.
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Saturday 23 September
A reserve first- Willow Emerald Damselfly from the Decoy Boardwalk today!
Estuary Tower
Late morning: 13 Cranes on Dumbles incl. Wendy, Albert and juvenile plus 4 un-ringed adults. Little and Great Egrets, and Peregrine on the river. Meadow Pipits heading south.
2 Spoonbills on Top New Piece and a Raven calling.
South Lake Discovery Hide
165 Black-Tailed Godwits, 1 Avocet, 8 Ruff, 8 Redshank, 3 Snipe, 40 Shoveler, 1 Pochard, 21 Tufted, 156 Teal, 2 Grey Heron, 6 Cormorants.
South Lake Hogarth Hide
Raven 2 high over centre “cronking”, Little Grebe on duck marsh.
Middle Point
Low tide- 2 Turnstone, 2 Spoonbill, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits and Marsh Harrier upriver. 14 Curlew, 3 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, Great White Egret, 50+ Shelduck, 2 Reed Bunting, Linnet flock, Great Black-backed Gull, Meadow Pipit, Swallow, Cetti’s Warbler calling.
Kingfisher Hide
Both male & female Kingfisher about, female still taking fish into nest, Gadwall 27, Little Egret 1 on Bottom New Piece, Wheatear on Four Score ground.
Top New Piece/Zeiss Hide
Wigeon 6, Pintail 1, Ruff 12, Wood Sandpiper 1, Marsh Harrier 1, Teal 540.
Decoy Hide
Little Grebe and Mandarin
Estuary Tower
Meadow Pipits, 6 Golden Plover over, Ross’s Goose in Barnacle flock, Buzzard, Curlew, 32 Teal, 2 Shoveler, Green Sandpiper, Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler calling.
