Sightings and news to week ending 24 May 2026
Image- female Bullfinch near Discovery Hide MJM.
Upcoming Events
Wildflower Walks - Wednesday 3 and Friday 5 June
4x4 Photo Safari - Wednesday 17 June
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 24 May
South Lake
Tundra Bean Goose, 35+ Black-tailed Godwit, Crane family, 40+ Avocets.
Estuary Tower
Dark-bellied Brent Goose with the Canada Geese. Bittern in the pillbox pool reedbed, made at least one flight south before returning.
Tack Piece
52 Barnacle Geese, pair of Shoveler, a few Avocets.
Rushy Hide/ Peng Observatory
At least three 2cy Mediterranean Gulls (image MJMcGill) among the loafing Black-headed Gulls. Avocet colony.
Top New Piece
A stunning breeding plumage male Ruff, nesting Cranes, a few Gadwall and Shovelers and pairs of Redshank.
Bottom New Piece
Cuckoo calling from the willows.
Saturday 23 May
Top New Piece
Crane (Sherbert) on nest, Mute swan pair with brood of 7, 24 Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck, 14 Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Redshank, 1 Lapwing, 1 male Ruff ( white ruff), 13 Shelduck. Little Grebe and Reed Warbler heard
Jay and GSW calling in Spinney
Rushy hide
58 Avocet, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Shelduck with brood of 12, 17 Tufted duck, 3 Mediterranean Gulls
Dumbles
10 Cranes, Dunlin and Ringed Plover flock on river, singles of Sedge Warbler, Greater Black-backed Gull, Avocet, Pheasant and Wren, Long-tailed Tit flock, Little Egret and 12 Barnacle Goose on Tack Piece, Cetti’s Warbler and Blackcap singing
Kingfisher Hide
no sign of any Kingfisher yet, Roe Deer with well grown fawn on BNP, Reed Bunting and Reed Warbler singing.
Decoy Hide
Kingfisher, 6 Shelduck, 8 Tufted Duck
Knott Hide
Bittern
Friday 22 May
Tack Piece
Cetti’s Warbler, Reed & Sedge Warblers singing, 26 Shelduck, 13 Tufted Duck, 2 pairs + 3 Gadwall, 26 Greylag Geese, 1 Wigeon
South Finger and Kingfisher Hide
Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Cuckoo heard but not seen.
Top New Piece from Zeiss Hide
24 Avocet, 28 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Redshank, incubating Crane, Reed Bunt, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler, 3 Tufted Duck males
South Lake from Hogarth Hide
Whitethroat feeding young in dense hedge to right of hide. 2 Oystercatcher chicks on the causeway, 32 Gadwall
Discovery Hide
43 Avocet, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Redshank and a male Ruff.
Rushy
3 baby Black Headed Gull chicks on first island lower pool. 56 Avocet, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 male Pochard, 2 Gadwall
Dumbles
Grey plover, 38+ Sanderling, 27+ Dunlins and Ringed plovers, Dark-Bellied Brent, Cuckoo calling, 4 Cranes, Whimbrel
Thursday 21 May
Tack Piece
Really good views of the Bittern from Martin Smith Hide
South Lake
22 Tufted duck, 54 Gadwall, 10 Shelduck, 1 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 3 Canada Geese, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Reed warbler, 1 Oystercatcher with 2 chicks, 2 Cranes with 1 chick, 1 male Kingfisher, 1 Pied Wagtail, 31 Black-tailed Godwit and 40 Avocet
Top New Piece
Crane (Sherbert) on nest, 12 Avocets, 2 Redshank, 33 Black-tailed Godwits, little Grebe
Decoy Hide
Both male and female Kingfisher making frequent visits bringing fish to the nest
Kingfisher Hide
2 Gadwall, 2 Mallard, 1 Tufted Duck, 4 Moorhen, Reed Bunting singing
Bottom New Piece
Marsh Harrier has been feeding over Bottom New Piece
South Finger Walkway
Treecreeper, Blackcap singing
Wednesday 20 May
Decoy Hide
Both male and female Kingfisher have been making frequent visits, bringing fish to the nest.
Tack Piece
Some brilliant records of small waders using the scrape on the Tack Piece over the high tide, Curlew Sandpiper, breeding plumage Little Stint, 81 Dunlin, 34 Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Sanderling and 1 Ruff.
Top New Piece
From Zeiss hide there were 23 Avocet, 4 Redshank, 11 Gadwall, Marsh Harrier, 16 Shelduck and a Crane still on their nest.
Dumbles
Seven unrung Cranes, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Swifts, Swallows, Kingfisher as well as further Dunlin and Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderling and 2 Bar-tailed Godwit. A bittern was spotted perching and preening in Reedbed opposite Knott Hide at 9:30 before flying South, from Estuary Tower.
South Lake
Four Oystercatcher, 12 Tufted Duck, 36 Gadwall, 18 Avocet, Reshank, 2 Cranes and their 1 chick.
Rushy
First thing this morning there were 72 Avocet, 47 Black-tailed Godwit and 6 Mediterranean Gulls, some of which were flushed by a Peregrine.
4x4 Photo Safari event
Male Marsh Harrier (MJM).
Ringed Plover, Sanderling and Dunlin (MJM).
Sunday 17 May
Rushy Hide and Peng Observatory
At least four second calendar year Mediterranean Gulls (one pictured below) with the Black-headed Gull colony/roost, a few chicks viewable in nests on the lower pond. The Avocets have 37 occupied nest sites.
Tack Piece
Two drake and a duck Teal, 27 drake Gadwall, the buff/black breeding plumage male Ruff, a Dunlin came in early morning, circled but left, drake Pochard on the scrape. Over high tide a flock of 104 Ringed Plover, 94 Dunlin, a Sanderling and 2cy Curlew Sandpiper fed on the central flood.
Estuary Tower
Dark-bellied Brent goose on the Dumbles foreshore, around 18 small waders- Dunlin/Ringed Plover and a gathering of Lesser and Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls, a Common Gull flew through to Tack Piece. Cranes in the fields to the north including the pair with two chicks. Brown Hare on the Dumbles.
Top New Piece
Five Lapwing, pair of Oystercatcher, Crane, four Roe Deer.
