Wader fest is here and so are the birds
Zeiss Hide
Great start to Wader Fest with the 3 Spotted Redshank feeding frantically and a very mobile flock of 26 Ruff and a handful of Black Tailed Godwit. Lapwing as ever scattered across the fields and the odd Snipe flitting around.
Influx of Teal overnight, 645 counted this morning with one Garganey among them and 38 Wigeon. A juvenile Marsh Harrier caused havoc as it passed through, 2 Herons were around, a Water Rail was calling in the reedbed but as yet no sign of yesterdays Bittern.
South Finger
If you thought wader management was all about birds and water think again! our heard of English Longhorns are an essential part of our management system. There were 3 Yellow Wagtail among them this afternoon.
Rushy
Last of the Green Sandpiper passage here with a single bird. Lone, Snipe 1 and Redshank. Teal increasing all round this morning, 26 in the Rushy. Grey Wagtail came into the overflow in front of the hide. Watch out for the odd yellow Wagtail that have been seen here fro midday on wards the past few days.
Tack Piece and Holden Tower
Two each of Ruff, Redshank and Avocet on the halfway scrape with 26 more Teal. There was a cracking Southward movement of Goldfinches early on small groups of 20, 200 in total moving northwards. The Curlew (61), 1 Bar Tailed Godwit and a Redshank were on the edge of the Dumbles. The Greylag flock numbered 448 with 20 Barnacle Goose. The flock of Ruff (26) were probably the same group as seen from South Finger. Single Peregrine, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel were all seen. There was 1 Wheatear and 2 Whinchat and perhaps most surprisingly a great Spotted Woodpecker on the northern cross fence (best viewed from new platform on summer walk). There were 2 Little Egret on the estuary and a pair of Cranes flew over.
South Lake
Fantastic wader watching here, Black Tailed Godwit 73, Redshank 13, Ruff 5, Snipe 5 a juvenile Little Ringed Plover single Avocet and 17 Lapwing.
Morning Wader Safari
Good views of 8 Cranes and a dozen Reed Buntings in the wild bird headland. Distant scattering of Curlew and Shelduck gradually moving to high tide roost. Flock of 25 small waders distantly and a lone Golden Plover. A Wheatear and two Whinchats were seen well at midpoint and stunning close up of hovering Kestrel. Two Peregrines were on a kill far out on the estuary. A flock of 26 Ruff and 4 Black Tailed Godwit were feeding across the Dumbles with lapwing and around 40 Linnet. A total of 8 Little Egret gathered on the high tide with lots of Curlew, Shelduck and a flock of 13 Knot with two Dunlin among them.
Afternoon Safari
Cranes showed well again and the dropping tide concentrated 200 Curlew and a similar number of Shelduck on the northern mudflats with a very distant flock of 40 small waders.. At least 6 Heron and two Little Egret, Kestrel, a very pale buzzard was seen well and good views of a single Hobby on numerous occasions. A juvenile Marsh Harrier was see distantly and one fly over Raven and a second distantly on a kill. A Water Rail was calling loudly in the reed bed, a Frog several Grass Snake some Ruddy Darters a Robins Pin Cushion and of course an Otter spraint made for a very entertaining safari.
