Sightings and news to week ending 19 October 2025
*Please note that you may encounter noisy machinery performing essential seasonal work, as well as various infrastructure and habitat projects that are ongoing. This work began later than usual in late September and will continue through to November, we may have machinery such as excavators or tractors working near to hides, tasks are planned so that the birds can move to other quieter areas of the reserve but at times we may be in a few places at the same time, apologies*.
*We plan to work in the far SW corner of the Bottom New Piece on Monday and Tuesday, excavator creating ponds and installing new fencing to protect the reedbed area after the cattle broke in around six weeks ago. Hedgecutting between Dumbles and Top New Piece. Hedge cutting along Summer Walkway had to be postponed for now.
*South Lake- the first stage of winter preparation work with the strimming/brushcutting of all islands, the causeways and banks will be cut and wildflower hay collected, pipes cleared to ensure water flow between the deep lake, wader scrape and duck marsh, hide windows will be cleaned and gutters cleared, Loop Field ditch and bank cut. Likely to begin on Tuesday 14 October and continue to Thursday 16th October*.
Sunday 19 October
Middle Point
Two Rock Pipit at the point. Single Knot, 600+ Golden Plover, 26 Grey Plover, 7 Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint, 360 Dunlin, 6 Ringed Plover, 14 Sanderling, 300+ Lapwing, a few Black-tailed Godwits and a Spoonbill and Spotted Redshank noted on the Severn here today. Also Stonechat in the reed beds.
Top New Piece
Spoonbill, five Egyptian Geese roosted among the Canada and Greylag Geese as well as 22 Cranes (13 un-ringed birds). A Curlew Sandpiper was among the Dunlin with three Sanderling and 26 Ruff with the Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwits.
South Lake
A single Avocet, flocks of Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwits, Teal and Shoveler, 18 Pochard among c70 Tufted Duck on deep lake with 13 Cormorants. Three Egyptian Geese settled here from the TNP. Single Cattle Egret on the causeway and Great Black-backed, Lesser Black-backed, Herring and Black-headed Gulls. Siskins with the Goldfinch flock near Discovery Hide.
Rushy Hide
Juvenile Temminck's Stint on the lower pond, three Spotted Redshank with a Ruff, c8 Redshank, c16 Snipe, c30 Lapwing and a few Black-tailed Godwits. A sodden Greenshank also visited.
Saturday 18 October
Decoy Hide
11 Tufted Duck, 4 Shoveler, 1 Grey Heron, 23 Mallard, Cetti’s singing
Kingfisher Hide
12 Gadwall, 4 Wigeon, 5 Teal, 2 Shoveler, Cranes Oakie & Sherbert
Zeiss Hide
15 Wigeon, 1 GBB Gull, 2 Cranes flying towards the river, male Marsh Harrier trying to spook the Teal, 8 Shoveler, 269 Teal, 157 Lapwing, 10 Ruff, 11 Redshank, 12 Greylags,
Middle Point
a Knot, 13 Sanderlings, a Little Stint, 7 Barwits, 12 Grey Plovers, c500 Golden Plovers, 12 Ruff, c40 Pintail and c400 Dunlin
South Lake
Temminck's Stint, Mediterranean Gull, 3 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 229 Teal, 64 shoveler, 22 pochard, 46 Tufted ducks, 9 Cormorants, 118 Black-headed gulls, 2 Little Grebe, 17 Black-Tailed Godwit, 1 Avocet, 1 Ruff, 1 Redshank, 1 Grey Heron plus lapwing, greylags, 2 Pied wagtails and Cettis.
Friday 17 October
Rushy
11 Wigeon, 106 Teal, 4 Redshank, 3 Black Tailed Godwit, 20 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 1 Ruff, 3 Spotted Redshank, 4 Snipe, 17 Lapwing, an IN HIDE sighting of a WATER RAIL which ran into hide, climbed the wall and flew out of the window!
Robbie Garnett Hide
water level extremely low, 7 Wigeon, 1 Green Sandpiper, 101 Greylags, 53 Canadas, Cetti’s heard.
Estuary Tower Long Ground Pool - 49 Teal, 15 Shoveler, 3 Wigeon.
Dumbles
111 Greylags, 38 Canadas, Bean Goose, 79 Barnacles plus Ross’s and hybrid.
Zeiss Hide
3 Roe Deer, Cettis, 302 Teal, 14 Shoveller, 112 Black Tailed Godwit, 11 Ruff, 294 Lapwing, and a Water Rail
South Lake
27 Pochard, 2 Pintail, 34 Tufted, 203 Teal, 17 Shoveller. Little Grebe.
2 Black Tailed Godwit and 3 Snipe
Thursday 16 October
Kingfisher Hide
9 Gadwall, 4 Wigeon, 3 Shoveler and 1 Little Grebe
Zeiss Hide
105 Black-tailed Godwit, 54 Dunlin, 15 Ruff, 20 Wigeon and 1 Redshank
Summer Walkway
1 Sparrowhawk, Linnet and Skylark overhead
Midpoint
98 Curlew, 22 Crane, 33 Pintail, 4 Grey Plover, 1 Peregrine, 1 Ruff, 1 Redwing, 130 Avocet, 1 Great Egret, 80 Golden Plover and 250 Dunlin
Wednesday 15 October
Zeiss Hide
15 Ruff, Redshank, 17 Dunlin, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Bittern, 2 Spotted Redshank and 1 Marsh Harrier
Martin Smith Hide
2 Glossy Ibis, 1 Peregrine and Water Rail heard
Rushy Lake
34 Tufted Duck, 5 Shoveler, 1 Pintail, 46 Lapwing, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Wigeon, 64 Teal, 15 Snipe, 3 Redshank, 1 Ruff, 1 Cetti's Warbler
South lake
Jack snipe,
Estuary Tower
Bittern, Redpoll, Chaffinches,
Martin smith
2 Glossy ibis, 2 water rail, 50+ Fieldfares, 18+ Redwing, pair Marsh harriers, Sprawhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine.
Car Park - 2 Cranes flew over, 4 Curlew, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Greenshank
Tuesday 14 October
Please note the Summer walkway will be shut tomorrow morning for essential hedge works, the path will be opened as soon as the works are done. Many thanks
Martin Smith Hide
Two Glossy Ibis feeding here again. Two Bearded Tits reported.
Top New Piece
Marsh Harrier hunting, 288 Golden Plover dropped in to join the 22 Ruff, Redshank, Snipe and 234 Lapwing.
Estuary Tower
Flocks of Fieldfares, Redwings, Goldfinches, Meadow Pipits and Siskins all passing over, single Brambling over with another over Middle Point. Peregrine on Dumbles. A flock of 500+ Golden Plover on the Severn late morning as well as 200+ Dunlin.
Monday 13 October
A very misty and murky morning so far, it's clear that visible migration is in evidence, singles and flocks of Siskins and Redwings have been passing low over the reserve heading North.
Middle Point
Spoonbill over high tide plus a flock of 300 Golden Plover, flock of Ruff and Black-tailed Godwits and distant small waders. Rock Pipit also reported by a visitor.
Top New Piece
Bittern seen this morning.
South Lake
Two Spotted Redshank.
Tack Piece
Cattle Egret among the cattle.
