Today's sightings
Another cold start on the reserve with ice covering the pools from the Zeiss Hide and the lower pond on the Rushy.
Rushy Hide & Peng Observatory
A few waders roosted on the causeway and islands including 150+ Lapwing, single Redshank and Ruff and a pair of Oystercatcher. No sign yet of the Little Stint, but it may well drop in as things thaw. Also present were 121 Bewick's Swans and the usual assortment of waterfowl.
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Robbie Garnett Hide
Around 1500 Wigeon were grazing around the scrape edge towards the Martin Smith Hide. Other birds included 90 Pintail, 2 Curlew, 531 Golden Plover and 2 Oystercatcher with a few Shoveler and Teal too. Numbers change throughout the day but there are usually thousands of birds present here. Two Reed Bunting were singing towards the Martin Smith Hide.
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Willow Hide
Two Water Rail seen this morning under the feeders.
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Holden Tower
The Red-breasted Goose was with a flock of 200+ Barnacle Geese on the Dumbles this morning. Birds on the Long Ground Pool included 33 Shelduck and 4 Tufted Duck. A small flock of 108 Wigeon were below the tower. A small flock of Lapwing were on the Dumbles scrape and 3 Skylark were feeding around the shoreline.
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South Lake Hides
A frozen scrape has seen of the Avocet for now. Remaining birds included 120 Black-tailed Godwit, 300 Dunlin, 3 Ruff, 500 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 42 Shoveler, 46 Shelduck, 217 Tufted Duck and 18 Pochard.
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Zeiss Hide
A mostly frozen scrape to start the day. Birds included 684 Wigeon, 104 Teal, 4 Bewick's Swans and 50 Lapwing.
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Kingfisher Hide
Birds included 8 Gadwall, Little Grebe, 272 Lapwing, 52 Golden Plover and a Cormorant.
