Cold but sunny
A cold start this morning with many open areas of water frozen including the lower pond of the Rushy, Dumbles scrape and most of the surface of the scrapes at the South Lake and Zeiss Hide. As they have thawed through the morning birds have begun to move around and out into the fields. Don't forget to check the roadside fields as you approach the centre to see Lapwing, Curlew, Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwit taking advatage of the wet fields.
South Lake Hides
The deep lake remained open this morning whilst the scrape was mostly frozen. A flock of 16 Avocet were flitting between the South Lake and the Top New Piece this morning but remaining on the ice were 466, Dunlin, 118 Black-tailed Godwit with around 1500+ Lapwing. The godwits moved to the roadside field mid-morning. The deep lake held at least 75 Pochard mainly roosting amongst the trees with 39 Tufted Duck on the water. A small number of Gadwall and Teal were also present. A Little Grebe was in the back left corner of the lake and 10 Cormorants were sat on the island or fence. A single Snipe was sat in the tree at the back of the deep lake.
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Rushy Hide & Peng Observatory
Only 114 Bewick's Swans could be found this morning, so we may have seen our first departure of the season. Two Little Stint were on the islands this morning with around 400+ Lapwing on the causeway and ice.
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Robbie Garnett Hide
The Spotted Redshank was roosting on the edge of the scrape with 17 Redshank and 24 Ruff. A flock of at least 500+ Golden Plover were unsettled by a Buzzard in the field and periodically took to the air along with Dunlin and Lapwing. A small number of Curlew were present on the ice first thing but quickly moved off to the roadside fields. Duck included 1500+ Wigeon.
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Holden Tower
A Peregrine made a kill and flew off towards the Centre with its prey leaving a Buzzard behind. A second Buzzard was sat on the southern cross fence with 3 Cranes beyond on the Warth. At least 14 Curlew were roosting on the southern breakwater and a single bird on the spartina island. A pair of Oystercatchers were roosting on the Purton breakwater down river. The Red-breasted Goose was with the Barnacle Geese and all 125 White-fronted Geese dropped in early morning before moving to the Tack Piece. At least 3 Stonechat were along the river bank. A pair of Oystercatcher and a Little Stint were on the scrape with a few Lapwing and Dunlin, and at least 2 Skylark were feeding along the shoreline with a third bird singing over the Dumbles.
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