Sightings and news for week ending 7 June 2026
Image - Avocet with Chicks in the Rushy (MJM).
Summer Walkway
We are hoping to open the summer walkway as soon as possible. We are currently monitoring a Crane that has been using the area as a safe place whilst it moults. To reduce stress to this flightless bird and give it space we are delaying opening the path. We will be carrying out essential maintenance when the opportunities arise whilst giving the bird space. Thank you for your understanding.
Sunday 7 June
Red-necked Phalarope
A very mobile breeding plumage male was on the Tack Piece and Rushy at around 1610/1620hrs. The breeding Avocets were not happy about it being in their company in the Rushy and were chasing it off. It wasn't relocated in a quick check of the Tack Piece, Top New Piece and Rushy at closing time.
Estuary Tower
Juvenile Stonechat along the hedge. Adult Little Gull feeding over the Severn, flock of c120 Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Dunlin + a Curlew. 8 Cranes on the Dumbles.
Tack Piece
Male Marsh Harrier hunting over plus singing Skylarks. A few Black-headed Gulls and Tufted Ducks on the flood and scrape.
Tack Piece
Wigeon with angel wing and unable to fly, drake Teal, pair of Shoveler, two Great Egret and Little Egret, also visiting Pill Box Pool.
Pillbox Pool from Estuary Tower and Knott Hide
Bittern flew out of Pillbox pool and dropped into reeds opposite Van de Bovenkamp Hide on Top New Piece.
Bottom New Piece
Female Marsh Harrier hunting then headed NE through reserve.
Top New Piece
Adult breeding plumage Wood Sandpiper, 6 Redshank, pair of Avocet, pair of Cranes with a chick, flock of Gadwall, singing Reed Bunting, Cuckoo in Decoy Wood. The Bittern arrived to feed in the reeds between Zeiss and Kingfisher Hide, opposite Van de Bovenkamp Hide.
South Lake
A pair of Common Tern, 2cy Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull colony, Herring Gulls, 37 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 pairs Avocet, 6 Oystercatcher + young, Little Grebe, flocks of Tufted Ducks, Coots and Gadwall, 2 drake Pochard.
Saturday 6 June
Kingfisher Hide
female Marsh Harrier over Four Score, Reed Bunting heard
Bottom New Piece
Roe Deer, Redshank
Top New Piece
2 Cranes behaviour suggests they still have chick, 1 Avocet, 5 Black-Tailed Godwits, 45 (4 chicks) Gadwall, 5 Shoveler, 36 Shelduck, 1 Reed Bunting.
South Lake
80 Avocets, 39 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Lapwing, 2 Redshank, 11 Tufted ducks, 67 Gadwall, 18 Shelduck, 5 Shoveler, 2 Cormorant, 1 Little Grebe, Mute Swan pair + 2 cygnets, House Martins feeding
Decoy
Mute Swan pair with 3 Cygnets
Friday 5 June
Rushy
38 Avocet Chicks
Tack Piece
8 Shelduck, 6 Greylag Geese, 1 Barnacle Goose, 2 Canada Geese, Chiffchaff singing
Pillbox Pool
7 Tufted Duck, Bittern flew into reeds and flew out a few mins later.
Top New Piece
30 moulting Gadwall, 5 Tufted Ducks, Pair of Little Grebe, Redshank, Reed Bunting, pair of crane and behaviour suggests chick in attendance but grass waist high! House Martins and 3 Swifts over scrape.
Dumbles
Reed Bunting, 6 Swift, 8 House Martin, Swallow, Skylark, Goldfinch, Linnet, 14 Shelduck, 2 Curlew, 7 Barnacles, 14 Canadas, 2 Little Egret, Roe Deer, Fox, 4 Unringed Cranes
Decoy
2 Kingfisher, female Mandarin, 2 Shelduck & 4 Tufted Duck
Image - Kingfisher pair at Decoy (Tim Jukes)
South Finger
Bank Vole by airlock gates, Sedge Warbler and Blackcap in song.
Kingfisher Hide
Male Kingfisher, Gadwall, Goldfinch, 10 Long Tailed Tits, Reed Warbler and Roe Doe
South Lake
79 Avocet many still incubating. Cettis Warbler, 27 Black-tailed Godwit, 1st summer Med Gull and Little Grebe. House Martins feeding over water.
Thursday 4 June
Car park
Blackcap, Chiffchaff, whitethroat, Cetti's Warbler
Rushy
Pochard, 22 Tufted Ducks & 4 ducklings, 3 Shoveler, 31 Gadwall, 26 Shelducklings, 2 Redshank
Tack Piece
4 Tufted Ducks, 22 Shelduck, 1 Cattle Egrets, Crane, 2 Oystercatchers
Dumbles
2 Cranes, Male Marsh Harrier flew over, 13 Grey Plover, Skylarks singing, flock of ~160 small waders mainly Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Sanderling, 14 Barnacle Geese, 9 Great Black Backed Gull, 1 Oystercatcher, 4 Unringed Cranes
Top New Piece
2 Spoonbill, Oakie and Sherbert with their chick
Knott Hide
Bittern flew towards Purton this morning and returning this afternoon
Wednesday 3 June
Rushy Hide
Dozens of Avocet chicks!
Dumbles
Adult Little Gull headed upriver to feed over the mud with Black-headed Gulls. Mixed flock of Sanderling, Dunlin and Ringed Plover off the Dumbles, Sparrowhawk, 3 Curlew
Tack Piece
2cy Mediterranean Gull on the central Tack Piece flood and a Cattle Egret among the cattle herd. 47 Ringed Plover and Green Sandpiper
South Lake
42 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Oystercatcher, 30 Coots, 8 Tufted Ducks, 2 Redshank, 6 Shoveler, 63 Avocet, 20 Shelduck, Mediterranean Gull, Buzzard
Top New Piece
2 Spoonbill, 60 Gadwall, 5 Redshank, Little Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Bittern flew from in front of Zeiss to the Knott Hide
Kingfisher Hide
Kingfisher, Jay, Redshank
Decoy
Cuckoo Calling
South Finger
Cuckoo
Tuesday 2 June
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Numerous broods of Avocet, broods of Black-headed Gulls, Gadwall and Tufted Ducks seen. 2cy Mediterranean Gull with the Black-headed Gulls.
Tack Piece
Pochard, Gadwall, Barnacle Geese and Greylags.
Estuary Tower
Adult Little Gull again feeding with Black-headed Gulls over mud north of Middle Point plus 70 Ringed Plover and 34 Dunlin.
240 Ringed Plover, 155 Sanderling and 22 Dunlin on the sands/mud between Dumbles and Tites Point.
Bittern flew out of the pillbox pool and headed south at 0757hrs.
Cuckoo singing in the Decoy and pair of Cranes on the Dumbles.
South Lake
Three drake Shoveler, pair of Teal, a few Gadwall. At least ten Avocet nests with c90 birds present. At least 33 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Swift and House Martins and Swallows feeding over.
Monday 1 June
A surprise Turtle Dove was feeding with Collared and Stock Dove and feral pigeons around Top Hut buildings and barns, it's worth scanning from Peng Observatory or the Rushy Hide as it was last seen on the roof top. Also worth looking around the visitor centre.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
2cy Mediterranean Gull with the Black-headed Gulls, lots of Avocet broods, brood of Shoveler, drake Pochard.
Amazing to see Avocets using the Rushy building rooftops to look out for predators, surely this is unique, where else in the world?
All three images M.J.McGill
South Lake
c80 Avocet, 37 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Redshank, 6 Oystercatcher + 2 chicks, pr Teal, Black-headed Gulls, Greylags, Gadwalls,Tufted Ducks.
Top New Piece
64 Gadwall + a brood that Herring Gull pair of Little Grebe, Lapwing, Crane + chick, 5m 3f Teal, 2m 1f Shoveler
Estuary Tower
Peregrine on the sands, Red Kite on Dumbles cross fence, female Marsh Harrier hunting Bottom New Piece, imm Spoonbill dropped in and left Top New Piece, adult Little Gull feeding over Severn to North with Black-headed Gulls. Three Cranes on the Dumbles, 173 Ringed Plover, 49 Sanderling and c30 Dunlin but mobile on the flood tide.
Tack Piece
Five Gadwall, Avocet, 2 Oystercatcher, Barnacle and Greylag Geese, flock of Black-headed Gulls around the muddy patch in field.
