Today's sightings- sandpiper arrival
A clear arrival of migrating Common Sandpipers was evident on the reserve today, at least six on South Lake and four on the Top New Piece, it is likely that there are more are bobbing about in other parts of the reserve too.
Common Sandpiper-M.J.McGill
Holden Tower
Immature Peregrine
Lapwing-14 (four nests)
Swallows, House and Sand Martins.
Tack Piece
9 Teal, 6 Shoveler, 5 Black-tailed Godwit and 4 Lapwing on the scrape. 7 Cranes (GCP) in the fields adjacent to the North.
South Lake
Over 100 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Avocet, 4 Oystercatcher, 3 Lapwing and the above mentioned 6 Common Sandpipers on the wader scrape. Two Little Gulls (a first summer and a second summer) were asleep among the Black-headed Gulls, two first summer Mediterranean Gulls were also present. The Black-headed Gull colony is still increasing on deep lake. Swallows were feeding over the lake.
Rushy Pen
Two second summer Mediterranean Gulls were among the 10+ pairs of nest building Black-headed Gulls. 24 Avocet also looked active, a couple of nest building pairs were busy. A Redshank, a pair of Oystercatcher (also possibly nesting now) and a variety of duck species were also present.
Not viewable from hides but news nonetheless were 2 male Whinchat and 3 Wheatears, 2 very late Fieldfare flew over the grounds mid morning heading NE.
