First Avocet chicks hatch
The first brood of Avocet have hatched on the Dumbles scrape, with four tiny chicks on the shoreline with their parents this morning
The first brood of Avocet have hatched on the Dumbles scrape, with four tiny chicks on the shoreline with their parents this morning. More should hatch in the coming days and weeks here, and at the South Lake and Rushy.
Two Swifts were feeding over the Visitor Centre, grounds and South Lake area with House Martins this morning
Zeiss Hide
The Crane family were on the Top New Piece this morning. Also here were 16 Avocet, seven drake Gadwall and a drake Shoveler. Over the fence a drake Garganey was on the Bottom New Piece.
Martin Smith Hide
A male Kingfisher was perched up and hunting here this morning.
South Lake
A total of 54 Avocet were on the wader scrape this morning, along with four Dunlin and 83 Black-tailed Godwit. At least four second-calendar year Mediterranean Gulls were on the causeway. Our two pairs Oystercatcher here each have at least two chicks.
Kingfisher Hide
The Kingfisher pair were busy feeding young this morning. A male Cuckoo was singing from trees to the south of the hide
Rushy Hide
The pair of Little Ringed Plover were still attending this nest. They are due to hatch any day. The male Crane, Chocolo, was on the nest on the upper pond island. Also of note were 34 Avocet, 24 Tufted Duck, and a Goldcrest was singing above the hide.
Summer Walkway / Middle Point
A flock of small waders close to Middle Point included 24 Sanderling, 91 Dunlin, 28 Ringed Plover and a single Curlew. A second larger flock of 200+ small waders were to the north with eight Curlew, three Bar-tailed Godwit, a pair of Oystercatcher and a Turnstone. Across the estuary were 243 Shelduck.
Estuary Tower
Along with the first brood of Avocet there were another 27 adults present on the scrape. A single Barnacle Goose was on the Dumbles with a small flock of Canada Geese, and another four Barnacle Geese were on the Tack Piece. A single Crane was also on the Dumbles, along with a pair of Oystercatcher along the riverbank.
