Don't forget the Bittern
Another big tide once again inundated the Dumbles and produced some great birding at the Zeiss Hide
Another big tide once again inundated the Dumbles and produced some great birding at the Zeiss Hide with a nice selection of waders coming in to roost. So good was the birding out on the scrape that even a Bittern sat out in the open at the end of one of the rides cut through the reedbed couldn't distract a hide full of people for long.
Just off the reserve by the Tudor Arms pub the other side of the canal were two Cranes (Phelps and Elizabeth Royal) this morning feeding in the newly sown arable field. At least 12 Cranes are on the reserve at present, spending most of their time on the Dumbles, best viewed from the Summer Walkway viewing platform or Zeiss Hide.
South Lake
The wader scrape was busy this morning with 279 Black-tailed Godwit, at least 5 Ruff and a small number of Lapwing along with the usual duck including Teal, Shelduck, Shoveler and Gadwall. At least four Pochard were on the deep lake along with the two juvenile Black Terns hawking over the water. At least one bird was seen to fly in from the north over the car park this morning around 8am so they may well be roosting elsewhere locally.
Zeiss Hide
This was the place to be today with at least 15 species of wader noted during the high tide roost including a Curlew Sandpiper (possibly two), a flock of 129 Knot, 3 Greenshank, two Ruff, a Golden Plover, two Curlew, four Avocet, 9 Redshank, 12+ Snipe, 200+ Black-tailed Godwit, two Sanderling, a juvenile Little-ringed Plover along with a mixed flock of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Lapwing. Two Little Stint were also reported amongst the wader flock but were not seen again as the flock was regularly buzzing around with a Marsh Harrier present over high tide quartering the seawall and Dumbles and birds began to return to the river.
The hide was full to capacity with birders and all managed to get great views of the Bittern in the newly cut rides through the reedbed. It was first picked up in the left hand most ride before moving along the back ditch and appearing at each ride in turn as it moved to the right, upon one ride trying to catch a dragonfly. Out on the scrape with the waders were 1000+ duck which included at least one Garganey. Not content with the disturbance caused by the Marsh Harrier, a Goshawk flew south through the Top New Piece flushing everything, before turning and heading towards the canal.
Summer Walkway / Middle Point
At least eight Bar-tailed Godwit were on the river before high tide, pushed off by the rising waters and then lost to view. A Wheatear was at Middle Point.
Rushy Hide
Two Green Sandpiper on the back of the lower pond bring the wader tally for the day to at least 17 species - no sign yet of the Spotted Redshank or refinding the Little Stints! Also on the lower pond was a single Pintail, Black-tailed Godwit and two Snipe.
