Latest sightings
Exstensive floods at last
Lots of rain over the past 48 hours have created lots of flooding around the reserve and the birds have responded well with increased numbers. A really great time to visit.
9 February 2019
Biggest Dunlin count of the winter, so far
Wetter field conditions, a high tide and strong winds on the estuary have all combined to push and encourage lots of Dunlin onto the fields and scrape to roost giving us our highest count of the winter so far.
7 February 2019
Amazing what a little rain can do
Just a little rain overnight and the fields looking really great. Amazing how quickly large numbers of waders return after a cold spell.
6 February 2019
Return of the Twite
A flock of 83 Linnet visited the Dumbles scrape over lunchtime today, once again they brought the Twite with them. This finch flock was typically mobile and nervous but stayed around for 15 minutes or so, they also briefly visited the Tack Piece. All the
5 February 2019
Thawing out
The milder air has rapidly thawed the reserve overnight, the birds wasted no time in returning to ice free floods and fields. Rushy Hide93 Shelduck present at dawn with 100+ Bewick's Swans and 100+ Pintail also present. Martin Smith HideNo sign of the Jac
4 February 2019
Coldest night of the winter and a Glossy Ibis
As was expected following the coldest night of the winter, bird movements about the reserve were fairly predictable. Large numbers of wildfowl continued to congregate at the Rushy and South Lake (deep lake) where open water could be found.One surprise was
3 February 2019
Snow is falling
We've had a few inches of snow overnight turning the reserve into a real winter landscape
1 February 2019
Coldest night of the season
Temperatures dropped well below freezing last night with local weather stations recording a low of -7oC leaving much of the reserve locked in ice and just a few patches of open water remaining for our wildfowl away from the river.
31 January 2019
Sunny Monday and the latest WeBS count results
We've enjoyed a sunny and rather calm day following a cold night. The shallow scrapes and pools were largely frozen over this morning so early morning numbers were noticeably lower than in previous days. Yesterday's Wetland Bird Survey totals were complet
28 January 2019
Twite
It was a WeBS count day (Wetland Bird Survey) so much of the morning to beyond midday was spent counting, I haven't had a chance to add up the totals from my notes but hope to do so so tomorrow.TwiteA bit of extra excitement in the Holden Tower today. The
27 January 2019
What a lorra lorra Lapwings
Wetter conditions attracting some good numbers of Lapwing to the site, at least 4000 on site today.
25 January 2019
Look out for Gadwall
A couple of degrees warmer but we still had a little ice lingering this morning.
24 January 2019
A cold start
It's another cold start on the reserve with lots of ice around, and out on the river another big tide forecast to be 10.4m
23 January 2019
Great Whites
Martin Smith Hide Chiffchaff calling from the nearby trees, two birds have been seen here lately and are probably roosting in the ivy. The Jack Snipe made another appearance along with 5 Common Snipe, if you don't see it first time it's well worth return
15 January 2019
White-fronts in the Four Score again
Rushy Hide Good roost of Bewick's Swans with 110 birds on site. One of the satellite transmitter birds (Catalana) visited Gwent (Llandegfedd/Usk) over the weekend. Martin Smith Hide No reports of the Jack Snipe today but Common Snipe, Chiffchaff and Cetti
14 January 2019