Bank holiday sightings
Middle Point/Severn Estuary
Red-necked Phalarope on the mud S of the point on the ebb tide, no reports so far today of the Gull-billed Tern but it did appear here yesterday before flying inland and to the north. Waders today include a few Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, 3 Curlew, 4 Grey Plover (two in full breeding plumage) and a Whimbrel (three yesterday commuting to the Goose House field). A Red Knot was present yesterday. Large numbers of Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Common Terns and a Hobby were feeding on insects over the estuary with more over the car park and grounds.
Gull-billed Tern as it flew inland past Middle Point yesterday. MJM
Rushy Hide
The Cranes (Monty and Sedge) are still incubating and must be getting close to hatching, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Avocets (two broods, three nests), Oystercatcher pair have two chicks. The female Wigeon is still present with hybrid male for company. We dropped water levels to cope with flash flooding yesterday and we seem to have got away with it this time.
Tack Piece
Two broods of Lapwing, a brood of Avocet, the usual high tide gathering of Shelduck with a Greylag Goose flock on the field. A pair of Shoveler and the out of season drake Wigeon, one of three that are summering, probably due to injuries.
Holden Tower
Only one incubating bird left plus a brood, the rest have hatched and walked off to other scrapes, the six left yesterday have probably abandoned due to unviable eggs. Broods are now on the estuary, Top and Bottom New Piece and Tack Piece. New breeding activity has been noted in the Rushy and South Lake in recent days. Single Peregrine and a Curlew were on the Dumbles.
Avocet
Visitor Centre
Swifts and House Martins feeding around the building, the latter collecting mud from the farmyard in the 5 Acre.
House Martins busy collecting mud pellets and straw to bind the nest together
South Lake
The Bar-tailed Godwit was with c86 Black-tailed Godwit, the Oystercatcher family was near to the hide, the female Lapwing continues to incubate despite water levels rising after flash floods. 20 Avocet were also present. Four drake Shoveler were looking lost. The Great Crested Grebe was on deep lake.
Zeiss Hide
A pair of Teal, a few drake Shoveler, 20+ adult Avocets (5+ broods), broods of Lapwing and the nesting Crane pair (Oakie and Sherbert).
