Recent Sightings 16th-22nd October
Garganey, Water Pipit, Merlins, Ruddy Shelducks, Spoonbills and our first returning Brent Geese
Sightings from this week
A count from the British Steel Hide on the 22nd revealed a large number of birds pushed up onto the saline lagoons by the high tide. The congregation of birds attracted the attention of a Peregrine, which had already killed a Lapwing, leaving it for two Buzzards to fight over. The Peregrine returned to its pylon perch and the roosting waders settled down to be counted.
Curlew - 406
Black-tailed Godwit - 822
Bar-tailed Godwit - 6
Knot - 143
Dunlin - 175
Spotted Redshank - 1
Redshank - 375
Greenshank - 40
Ruff - 1
Other birds included: 10 Spoonbills, a Water Pipit, a Garganey and a Kingfisher.
During the week sightings from the British Steel Hide have included: two Ruddy Shelduck, a Great White Egret, two Merlins hunting out on the saltmarsh, 14 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and a Yellow-legged Gull.
A colour-ringed Curlew spotted out on the lagoons in September was a rather special one, and a good reason to keep an eye out for birds with rings on. The link has more info: https://www.curlewcall.org/shropshire-curlew-chick...
