News
Hatching and Nesting
Most mornings we see a male marsh harrier in the "Lost Reedbed". It rises up from the same section of the reedbed and heads off down the river (to hunt?). We have recorded a female marsh harrier as well, but we haven’t seen her recently. Could she be on
20 April 2025
Warblers returning
The numbers of resident warblers (Cetti's and chiffchaffs) have been boosted by migrants, all singing loudly! We are seeing (and hearing) blackcaps and a couple of sedge and willow warblers have been appearing over the last week. If you want to witness e
14 April 2025
Mallard ducklings hatching out
The Reserve team spotted 54 ducklings with 7 different female mallards on Sunday. They are sprinkled around the site. Numbers will dwindle as there are many carrion crows and predatory herring gulls around as well and mallards aren't the most attentive pa
7 April 2025
Egrets in Breeding Plumage
On Saturday morning there were three great white egrets onsite, the male is in breeding plumage. We have also spotted up to 23 cattle egrets in the mornings, several with that Trumpian orange tinges on head and back that is their breeding plumes. Photo ab
29 March 2025
Spring displays
This week we have been watching a pair of marsh harriers, seen rising up from the lost reedbed in the mornings. The male has been displaying a bit, then the pair head down the river, the female a bit later then the male. Could they be a pair staying on w
21 March 2025
Thousands of Gulls on Sunday!
Last Sunday morning over 4000 gulls were on the water, wet grassland and islands between the Sand Martin hide and the Ramsar hide. It was likely the largest number of gulls we have seen on-site at once! There were over 2000 common gulls and 2000 black-he
12 March 2025
Gulls moving through and oystercatchers arrive
Big numbers of black-headed gulls continue to move through this week, still a few common gulls, a Med. gull and a greater black-backed gull was in the mix.
7 March 2025
Water rails and an Oystercatcher
A pair of water rails have been sighted in front of the Coastal Creek Aviary this week.
27 February 2025
Snipe at Ramsar hide & Gulls moving through
We've seen big numbers of black-headed gulls (240) and common gulls (110) on the reserve, moving through, most on their way north after wintering in warmer climates. Some of the black-headed gulls do stay and form a colony on the islands near the Sand Mar
21 February 2025
Good winter for lapwing
We are already starting to see the males giving display flights on warmer days.
13 February 2025
Strong lapwing numbers
With a few catkins, snowdrops and primroses starting to flower and even the odd daffodil in bud, we are reminded that spring is just around the corner. Birds are starting to sing in earnest and there is much displaying from drakes in their finest plumage.
5 February 2025
Firecrests, pochard and wigeon
Goldcrests and firecrests are still onsite this past week.
29 January 2025
Pintails and Wigeon
On Tuesday afternoon we were in the Ramsar hide hoping to see the cattle egrets coming in for the roost. We only saw 5 cattle egrets while we were there but we did count 6 wigeon on the far side between the Scrape and Sand Martin hides. A kingfisher shot
23 January 2025
Roosting Cormorants
From the Ramsar hide a small flock of nine cattle egrets arrived around 3.30 pm yesterday, six landing on the large gravelly island while the last three stopped on the point of the wet grassland, opposite. These early arrivals for the evening roost drew m
16 January 2025
Kingfishers, Egyptian geese & Cold Weather
We had lots of ice on Wednesday morning – low temperatures are predicted for the rest of the week and will keep things chilly. Some of our water bodies are icing over. Lapwing flock numbers are up and down depending on the time of day. We had 150 on
8 January 2025