Today's sightings-bird movement changes
As the heavy rain events have eased off water levels have dropped a little in some places. A few cold nights and the arrival of overnight ice has changed the movements of birds and field usage as the greenest grass is grazed out. A dispersal of waders across the whole reserve and many duck moving to the estuary has meant lower concentrations today.
Holden Tower/Dumbles
Peregrine Falcon 1
Canada, Barnacle and Greylag Geese
Lapwing 400
Shelduck 77
Bittern 1 seen from the Holden Tower at approx. 1330hrs- bird was stalking the reeds and tracks in the Canoe trail/Long Ground Pool. Look east over perimeter fence toward the grounds.
Tack Piece
Lapwing 500
Golden Plover 300
Dunlin 1200 (seem to prefer the lower levels as it exposes mud)
Little Stint 1
Ruff 9
Redshank 30+
Bar-tailed Godwit 2 briefly before heading to the estuary
Black-tailed Godwit 200+
Curlew 30+
Wigeon 500
Teal 350
Shelduck 28
Greenland White-fronted Geese 5 briefly with 100 European White-fronted Geese seen in flight.
Greylag 7+(Icelandic/Scandinavian population birds?)
Martin Smith Hide
Water Rail 1
Willow Hide
Water Rail 1
Rushy Pen
Greater Scaup 2 1w females by the afternoon, one from early morning.
Bewick's Swan- 128 on site (most on Tack Piece but 40+ now feeding in the Stall House Ground).
Snipe 17 feeding along West shore of lower pond
Shelduck 136
Pochard 178
South Lake
Pochard 56
Great Crested Grebe 1
Cormorant 11
Water Rail 1 east shore of deep lake
Black-tailed Godwit 204-also feeding in road fields
Snipe 30 from Hogarth Hide
Kingfisher Hide
The goose flock was flushed and moved early afternoon
Greenland White-fronted Geese 5
European White-fronted Geese 117
Greylag 7
Little Egret 1
Bewick's Swan 4 (2 cygnets)
