First Redwing and Fieldfare and a surprise
Some visible migration or local movement during the morning included what may be the first Redwing and Fieldfares of the autumn plus a Woodlark.
Skylarks can be found year round on the reserve with the Dumbles being the best place to see and hear them, as usual they were mobile about the Dumbles and fields with some sparring birds and even one or two in song. However several small flocks went through and did not stop during the morning indicating migration movement. At 11:30am a party of six or more Skylark were flying about over the reserve when a Woodlark was also heard with them as it passed over to the SE, a Redwing and two Fieldfare were also in flight with them, the latter two being intercepted by one of the wintering Mistle Thrushes.
A number of Siskin and Redpoll were also recorded during the day with at least four Great spotted Woodpecker seen about the reserve. A Green Woodpecker was touring the car park.
Other reported highlights by area/hide follow
Car Park
Green Woodpecker in the car park.
Middle Point
c60 Dunlin, 2 Little Stint, 105 Shelduck + Pintail on the low tide pools, 120 Wigeon, 12 Pintail, 5 Little Egret and 3 Grey Heron on the creeks, 10 Reed Bunting, 12 Meadow Pipit, Stonechat about the point, 8+ Skylark, 2 Pied Wagtail + Buzzard on Dumbles with a few flocks of Skylark over. Female Marsh Harrier hunting fields to the North. A bit of bird movement today- Redpoll, Siskin and small flocks of Skylarks passing through over Middle Point, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker along path to Middle Point, Grey Wagtail around the Estuary Tower.
Rushy Hide
Single Curlew Sandpiper and Dunlin favouring the islands on the lower pond, often hidden by the large rocks. A Great White Egret flew from Tack Piece and dropped in for a time but spent much of the day in the palaeo channels in fields to the North, single Ruff, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Pintail, 130 Teal, 150 Greylag and single Shelduck and Pochard.
Top New Piece
90 Wigeon, 400 Teal, 1 Ruff, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 30 Lapwing, 4 Redshank, 3 Stonechat on the seawall bank mobbing something with Goldfinch and two Magpie. A party of 13 Golden Plover appeared later in the morning.
Duck Decoy
A few Siskin moving about the wood.
South Lake
Two Spotted Redshank, 4 Redshank, 3 Ruff, c80 Black-tailed Godwit, 90+ Lapwing, 120+ Teal, 12 Shoveler on the wader scrape + 7 Snipe from Hogarth Hide, 63 Tufted Duck, 4 drake Pochard and 4 Cormorant on the deep lake.
At least 7 Chiffchaff were noted about the hides and grounds.
