Today's sightings
Holden Tower
16 Greylag Geese and 8 Shelduck were on the salt pasture and scrape. At least 6 Lapwing are now incubating eggs on the saltmarsh with the only other wader species present being one non-breeding plumage Grey Plover during the morning at least. Along the Tack Piece fence lines were three Redstarts (two males) and a female Wheatear was feeding on the turf at Middle Point.
Up to seven GCP Cranes had gathered together this morning.
On the estuary just a single Curlew and 150+ Shelduck were seen.
Tack Piece
The Lapwing pair still had at least one chick, it is rather exposed out here at the moment making things more difficult for them. The scrape held 5 Teal, Black-tailed Godwit and a few Avocets.
Robbie Garnett, Willow and Knott Hides
A good place to see and hear Reed and Cetti's Warblers, Chiffchaff and Blackcap but also commoner passerines such as Blackbird and Dunnock and even singing Goldcrest in the ivy.
Rushy Pen
At least 24 Avocet with 8 now on nests and a pair of nesting Oystercatcher. A first summer Mediterranean Gull came in to join the Black-headed Gull colony mid morning. The lakes are busy with the breeding common wildfowl.
Monty and Sedge who are resident GCP Cranes have laid another egg despite losing their first laid egg yesterday. They are not particularly attentive, this pair seemingly half-hearted about the rapidly thrown together nest. It is in full view on one of the closest islands to the Rushy Hide.
South Lake
The first summer Little Gull remains on site with 54 Black-tailed Godwit, three pairs of hide roof nesting Oystercatchers and the Lapwing pair. The black-headed Gull colony contains over 100 birds with a non-breeding flock of first summers roosting on the scrape.
Another pair of GCP Cranes, Bart and Ruby are also spending a lot of time between the Discovery and Hogarth Hides.
Zeiss Hide
We still have a few pairs of Lapwing nesting, the scrape had 9 Avocet, 15 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Redshank this morning. A male Wigeon was a winter leftover or passage bird. A pair of Great Black-backed Gulls are nesting on one of the islands which is unusual, certainly a first for here. Five pairs of Canada Geese and a few pairs of Greylag Geese were also present.
Kingfisher Hide
Quiet on the Kingfisher front as the female should be incubating eggs. A Cuckoo was in full song as well as Reed and Cetti's Warblers. Out on the pasture the Lapwings are nesting and 15 Black-tailed Godwit fed, the marsh had 5 pairs of Teal and a pair or two of Redshank.
