Sightings and news to week ending 13 July
Image- Emerald Damselfly (Spreadwing)- M.J.McGill
Sunday 13 July
South Lake
Two Little-ringed Plover, 5 Ruff among the Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks, broods of 3, 2, 1,1,1,1 Avocet, Teal and Gadwall flocks, Pochard, Tufted Ducks and 50 Coot.
Tack Piece
10 Green Sandpiper, 8 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher and 2 Yellow Wagtail around the cattle at Estuary Tower.
Top New Piece
A Bittern sunning on reeds along fleet S of Zeiss Hide, two Bearded Tits seen along the back ditch (West side). On the flood there were 37 Dunlin, 2-4 Green Sandpiper, 16 Lapwing, Greenshank plus 3 Little-ringed Plover + Reed Warblers, brood of 2 Tufted Duck and 22 Teal also 2 Cranes.
Rushy Hide
An adult Spoonbill (new-in bird) flew along the Severn foreshore from the North East and settled in the Rushy for awhile, flew off again. Also 6 Cranes on the lower pond.
Middle Point
Two Greenshank and 4 Common Sandpipers on the muddy creeks/foreshore, the male White-spotted Bluethroat perched up briefly, fewer sightings of late, it's beginning to moult and is likely to go missing soon.
Wild Safari
Only a morning offering due to the extreme heat. Two juvenile Marsh Harriers, a Buzzard, two Cranes, 100 Avocet, 8 Grey Heron and 3 Little Egret o nthe Severn on hte ebb tide plus 100s gulls and a few Shelduck broods, a Common Sandpiper, adult Whinchat, Reed Buntings, Brown Hawkers, Emperors, Ruddy and Common Darters.
Wednesday 9 July
Middle Point/Dumbles and foreshore
Seven (!) restless Bearded Tits towering and making flights high across the Dumbles this morning, returned a few times, also 12 Oystercatcher, 10 Little Egret, 8 GBB Gull, 26 Curlew, Redshank and 2 G. Heron. Reed Warblers and Buntings and Meadow Pipit and Brown Hare. Male White-spotted Bluethroat still.
Tack Piece
Five Green Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher and 4 Lapwing on the scrape shore.
Rushy Hide
Still two pairs of Avocets, Redshank and Lapwing on the pools + duck broods.
South Lake
Spotted Redshank, 2 Little-ringed Plover, 5 Ruff, 28 Avocet (13 chicks), 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 4 Little Grebe, 84 Black-tailed Godwit, 28 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher, and Kingfisher among the birds seen.
Top New Piece
Two Greenshank, 39 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Sandpiper, 6 Redshank, 2 Snipe, 4 Avocet, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Kingfisher among the birds noted.
Knott Hide
Great Egret.
Four Score Ground from Kingfisher Hide
10 Cranes.
Tuesday 8 July
Tack Piece
12 Green Sandpiper, 4 Lapwing, single adult Little-ringed Plover and Shelduck brood.
Rushy Hide
Two pairs of Avocets still nesting, lots of ducklings, Shelducks, Tufted Ducks, Mallards and Gadwall.
Top New Piece
Three Greenshank, 3 Avocet, Oystercatcher, 12 Teal, 4 Dunlin, 3 Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Redshank.
South Lake
40 Avocet (5 broods), c60 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Spotted Redshank, 10 Redshank, 5 male Ruff and a Reeve, 2 Lapwing. Two Cranes- Ruby and Wilde. Red Kite over.
Middle Point
Very busy with Reed and Sedge Warblers, Reed Buntings and at least 4 Bearded Tits again. The male White-spotted Bluethroat has sang from the perches a couple of times this morning, catch it while you can, it is likely to disappear to moult any day.
Severn Estuary North of Middle Point
Very distant waders but should move onto the wet mud as tide recedes- 152 Curlew, 10 Dunlin, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 86 Avocet, Little-ringed Plover and single Common Sandpiper.
Severn Estuary off Dumbles/S of Middle Point
Early morning- Whimbrel +16 Curlew, 5 Redshank, 3 Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin, 4 Common Sandpiper on sandbar off Royal Drift, 9 Oystercatcher, Spoonbill and 100s of gulls. Also Yellow + 3 Pied Wagtails + 40 Starling in the grass.
Peng Observatory
Well worth spending time looking at the flowerbeds here, 11 species of butterfly and Hummingbird Hawk Moth visiting.
Tack Piece
12 Green Sandpipers but all dispersed when a Sparrowhawk attempted to catch one plus the Shelduck brood.
Middle Point/Estuary Tower
29 Dunlin with a flock of Lapwing on the mud/sands+ Little Egrets, Curlews, Oystercatchers, Shelducks and 100s of gulls.
North of Middle Point
Redshank, 7 Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, 76 Avocet, broods of 12, 9, 3 and 8 Shelduck, 115 Curlew all very distant to on the mudflats and creeks.
South Lake
Four Little Grebe, Pochard, 2 broods of Tufted Duck on Deep Lake, 3 broods on Duck Marsh, 140 Gadwall, 50 Avocet, Spotted Redshank, 4 Ruff, 19 Redshank, 65 Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, 12 Teal.
Top New Piece
Interesting to see a pair of Cattle Egret with a recently fledged juvenile, the Longhorn Cattle have been moved to the Tin Shed Ground today. On the flood and mud- brood of at least 18 Shelduck likely to have walked in from the estuary. Ruff, Spotted Redshank, 4 Avocet, 24 Redshank, 6 Green Sandpiper, 6 Pied Wagtails, numerous Reed Warblers 30 Lapwing, Tufted Duck with brood of 2 and c16 Teal.
