Sightings and news to week ending 1 June
Sunday 1 June
Wild Safaris
Rather windy but we had great views of two juvenile Kingfishers, a brief flight view of a Bittern, female Marsh Harrier, Sedge Warblers, Shelducks and Great Egret and an obliging Brown Hare.
Red Kite over.
Saturday 31 May
Middle Point
The male W.s Bluethroat still and c50 Sanderling and 5 Dunlin on the Severn.
South Lake
Two Common Tern
Some images from the 4x4 Photo Safari today. From top to bottom- Juvenile Kingfisher, Large Skipper, Four-spotted Chaser and breeding plumage Sanderling- all images MJM.
Thursday 29 May
Duck Decoy
Kingfisher brood, parents feeding three young.
Dumbles foreshore and estuary
A mixed flock of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and at least 32 Sanderling feeding on the mud and coming in to roost. Nine Curlew also on the foreshore with the gulls.
Top New Piece
Spoonbill, 2 Tufted Ducks, 42 Shelduck, 3 Lapwing, 43 Gadwall, 2 Oystercatchers, 5 Redshank, 3 Avocets, 2 Shoveler, 2 Barnacle Geese.
Rushy Hide
2cy and probable 3cy Mediterranean and two 2cy Common Gulls.
Middle Point
White-spotted Bluethroat still showing low in the reeds despite the windy conditions.
South Lake
10 Tufted Ducks, 10 Gadwall, 114 Avocets, 9 Shelduck, 1 Shoveler, 5 Black-Tailed Godwit, 2 Oystercatchers.
Wednesday 28 May
Middle Point
A Great Skua was resting on the sands as the tide flooded. It moved to several locations around the estuary gradually heading NE. A breeding plumage Turnstone was among 132 Ringed Plover, 39 Sanderling and 180 Dunlin.
Top New Piece
Broods of four a fully fledged single Lapwing, 4 Redshank, Reeve and a Spoonbill.
Duck Decoy
Three fledged Kingfishers being fed by the parents outside the nest hole.
South Lake
Pair of Great Crested Grebes on deep lake, a 2cy Mediterranean Gull among the Black-headed Gulls on the rocks. Three drake Teal, three drake Shoveler and 12 Gadwall, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Redshank and 100+ Avocets + chicks. Pairs of Oystercatchers including a pair with two chicks.
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. A Great Skua was in the estuary and inland of the seawall at dusk.
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 |
