Sightings and news to week ending 1 June
Tuesday 27 May
A wet and windy day.
South Lake
Colour ringed Mediterranean Gull (Yellow 2XX9 , also seen on the Rushy), 3 pairs of Oystercatcher (one brood of two), 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 broods of Avocet and around 20 nests being incubated, 4 broods of Mallard.
Middle Point
At least one sighting of the male White-spotted Bluethroat this morning.
Estuary Tower
On the mud off the Dumbles on the rising tide earlier this morning- 3 Curlew, 153 Dunlin, 2 Ruff, 122 Ringed Plover and 31 Sanderling.
Tack Piece
Eight Oystercatcher, 12 Gadwall.
Top New Piece
20+ Swift feeding over, 4 Redshank, brood of Lapwings, two Spoonbills.
Bank Holiday Monday 26 May
Duck Decoy
Brood of 8 Shelducklings, pair of Kingfishers feeding young in the nest hole.
Tack Piece
Four Oystercatcher, 2 Lapwing, female Wigeon, 44 Shelduck.
Estuary Tower/ Middle Point
The high tides encouraged a few waders to roost on the Dumbles foreshore, 25 Sanderling, 2 Ruff, 103 Dunlin, 90 Ringed Plover, 21 Curlew and a Whimbrel were all of note with three Grey Plover and a Bar-tailed Godwit in the north end of the basin. Also 2 Oystercatcher, 23 Shelduck, 9 GBB, 20 Herring, 4 LBB, 1 Common and 38 Black-headed Gulls.
South Lake
Little-ringed Plover, 7 Redshank, 108 Avocet, 22 Coot, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Cattle Egret, Little Egret, 2 drake Shoveler, 3cy and 2cy Mediterranean Gull with 149 Black-headed Gull, 22 Gadwall, two drake Teal and Grey Heron. A brood of 10 Shelducklings on the rhine at the Hogarth Hide bridge.
Rushy Hide
2cy Mediterranean Gull among 42 Black-headed Gulls, 74 Avocet, 2 Oystercatcher, pair of Teal, 11 drake and 2 duck Tufted Duck, 10 Gadwall, 11 Mallard, 6 Coot, Redshank, 7 Shelduck.
Top New Piece
Two Spoonbill (also made a visit to the estuary), 44 Shelduck, 53 Gadwall, 6 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Redshank, 2 Crane, 13 Mallard, 3m Shoveler, 8 Black-headed Gull, 4 Coot and a drake Teal.
Grounds and buildings
Swallows and House Martins have been nest building, many using the artificial nest cups that we provide but others choosing to build from new or refurbish old nests. Over 50 Swifts have been feeding across the site with three Sand Martins also seen today.
WeBS Count
| Canada Goose | 59 | 8 young | |
| Barnacle Goose | 24 | ||
| Greylag Goose | 116 | min 32 young | |
| Mute Swan | 81 | six young | |
| Shelduck | 218 | ||
| Mandarin Duck | 1 | male | |
| Shoveler | 8 | two female | |
| Gadwall | 115 | ||
| Wigeon | 1 | ||
| Mallard | 285 | 206 counted on Big Pen, only 12 were females | |
| Teal | 5 | ||
| Pochard | 1 | male | |
| Tufted Duck | 72 | 24 females | |
| Little Grebe | 8 | ||
| Grey Heron | 4 | ||
| Little Egret | 3 | ||
| Cormorant | 5 | ||
| Water Rail | 6 | chicks in Five Acre Filter beds | |
| Moorhen | 6 | ||
| Coot | 80 | plus at least 17 young, probably 30 | |
| Oystercatcher | 25 | two chicks on South Lake | |
| Avocet | 187 | plus chicks, 3-4 broods | |
| Lapwing | 10 | probably 4 broods but young hidden | |
| Grey Plover | 3 | ||
| Ringed Plover | 90 | ||
| Little Ringed Plover | 1 | ||
| Whimbrel | 1 | ||
| Bar-tailed Godwit | 1 | ||
| Black-tailed Godwit | 5 | ||
| Ruff | 2 | ||
| Sanderling | 25 | ||
| Dunlin | 103 | ||
| Redshank | 16 | ||
| Kingfisher | 10 | ||
| Black-headed Gull | 411 | ||
| Mediterranean Gull | 4 | ||
| Common Gull | 2 | ||
| Great Black-backed Gull | 9 | ||
| Herring Gull | 53 | ||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | 8 | ||
| Black Swan | 1 | ||
| Cattle Egret | 3 | ||
| Great White Egret | 2 | ||
| Crane | 4 | ||
| Terns counted but none present |
