Please note: water will be off in Welly Boot Land today (2 May), the play area will be open as usual. The Canoe Safari is also closed due to weather.
Close alertAn influx of wind-hovers
We've seen an increase in the number of Kestrel on the reserve in recent days, presumably a locally fledged brood now exploring the big wide world
We've seen an increase in the number of Kestrel on the reserve in recent days, presumably a locally fledged brood now exploring the big wide world. Their old country name is a wind-hover, after the ability to hang in the air in search of prey.
Middle Point
Two breeding plumage Red Knot and a Grey Plover were on the estuary this morning, straight out from Middle Point.
Zeiss Hide
A rather quiet Top New Piece this morning with a flock of 80 Lapwing on the cut field areas. A couple of Shoveler and a few Gadwall and Teal were feeding around the margins.
Grounds
A Kingfisher was hunting in the pools near the Caribbean and Greater Flamingo pens.
South Lake
Two juvenile Little Ringed Plover, and 213 Black-tailed Godwit were on a slightly wetter wader scrape this morning, along with a single Redshank, and two male Ruff. The Crane pair were feeding near the Hogarth Hide with the one remaining but now well-grown chick. An adult and juvenile Grey Wagtail were on the edge of the deep lake, and in the back corner were a newly hatched brood of five Tufted Ducklings.
Around lunchtime, the two Spoonbill from the Rushy were present on the South Lake, along with the unknown juvenile Shelduck, possibly a Cape Shelduck or a hybrid.
Estuary Tower
A flock of 23 Dunlin could be seen on the mudflats this morning from the hide, along with a Little Egret and 14 Curlew. At least four Kestrel were hunting fields to the north, and a Marsh Harrier was quartering the Top New Piece to the south. Five Little Egret were sheltering in the reedbed around the Pillbox Pool, and on the muddy margins were a Yellow Wagtail and a Green Sandpiper. Another Little Egret and a Grey Heron were on the Long Ground Pool.
Rushy Hide
Very birdy here this morning with two Spoonbill, a flock of 189 Black-tailed Godwit, plus two Spotted Redshank, four Green Sandpiper, 21 Redshank, an Oystercatcher, nine Teal, six male Ruff, and the long-staying injured Avocet.
