Sightings and news to week ending 29 June
Numerous fledged passerines now joining up in super flocks to roam the hedges, in some cases, their parents settling to nest once again.
Sunday 29 June
Top New Piece
Five adult Little-ringed Plover, broods of 5 and 5 Mallard, 37 Teal, 2 Garganey, 26 Lapwing, House and Sand Martins, 29 Redshank, 15 Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, two broods of 2 Gadwall, 11 ads, Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings. Two Cranes as well.
Middle Point
The mud and creeks are busy with feeding gulls, egrets and waders, the Spoonbill was in the tidal pool off the point, the male White-spotted Bluethroat was still singing and three Common Tern were resting on the sands.
Tack Piece
7 Green Sandpiper.
Rushy
Five broods of Tufted Ducks and a brood of Avocet.
South Lake
Around 70 Avocet with three broods, two Spotted Redshank among the 27 Redshank and 14 Black-tailed Godwits, adult Little-ringed Plover. 113 Gadwall + two broods, four Pochard.
Thursday 26 June
South Lake
Spoonbill early morning but moved to the Severn, two Spotted Redshank, a pair of Little-ringed Plover, Avocets broods of 2 and 3, 20 Black-tailed Godwit which is an increase in numbers, 50 Redshank.
Top New Piece
Four Little-ringed Plovers.
Middle Point
A first summer Arctic Tern flew downriver on the rising tide. A Spoonbill was feeding on the tideline with a 2cy Yellow-legged Gull among the immature gull flock.
Wednesday 25 June
Whilst guiding the 4x4 Photo Safari event a rarely recorded dragonfly was spotted. The second Green-eyed (Norfolk) Hawker (image-Reserve Manager, M.J McGill) for the reserve recording area was discovered on an apparent territory. Although this area has no general access you can join us on a Wild Safari to look for it. Details of these are to be found on the following link.
https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge/...
Other sightings today include the following.
Rushy Hide
Shelduck broods, 18 Gadwall, 7 Avocets, 1 Garganey, 1 Oystercatcher, 3 Lapwing, 5 Tufted Ducks, 1 Redshank.
South Lake
Two Spotted Redshank and Spoonbill.
Middle Point
White-spotted Bluethroat still singing.
Tuesday 24 June
Estuary Tower
Pair of Common Terns on the raft in the Long Ground Pool.
Rushy Hide
Female Garganey with the 21 Gadwall (4 ducklings) and Teal on lower pond, 8 Avocet, at least two chicks. Redshank, Lapwing.
Tack Piece
Three Lapwing and 2 Green Sandpiper.
South Lake
Two breeding plumage Spotted Redshank, 124 Gadwall, 46 Redshank, 156 Avocet (including a ringed bird), 13 drake and 7 duck Shoveler, Tufted Duck broods of 2,3,3,4 and 11 from Hogarth Hide with the Spoonbill still.
Middle Point
Two Wheatears, a drake Common Scoter on the Severn over high tide but flew South.
Top New Piece
Adult Wood Sandpiper, eclipse drake Garganey, 4 Redshank, 34 Teal, broods of 1, 3 and 3 Gadwall
Monday 23 June
Rushy Hide
Female Garganey on the lower pond with moulting Gadwall flock, 4 broods of Shelduck, brood of 10 Tufted Duck, 2 Teal, 12 Avocet, Greenshank earlier but moved to Tack Piece.
Tack Piece
Six Green Sandpipers and the Greenshank in the channel in the centre of the field, pair of Oystercatcher.
Estuary Tower
Great Egret on the the Long Ground Pool and Marsh Harrier over the fields to the North. Flock of Barnacle Geese with Ross's Goose on the Dumbles.
Top New Piece
Eclipse drake Garganey with 16 Teal, Redshank, 53 Lapwing included the partially leucistic bird, broods of 1 and 3 Gadwall.
South Lake/Discovery Hide
Spoonbill, two breeding plumage Spotted Redshank, 50 Redshank, 2 Lapwing, 90+ Avocet, adult Little-ringed Plover, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Teal, 13 Shoveler, 50+ Gadwall, 5 Oystercatcher, 2 drake Pochard, 100 Black-headed Gull and 40 Coot among the birds noted.
South Lake/Hogarth Hide
Broods of 1, 5, 4 Tufted Duck, from the rhine bridge, at least c80 passerines in a super flock, mostly fledged juveniles of Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits with singing Common Whitethroat and Dunnock.
Middle Point
Male White-spotted Bluethroat singing and displaying from the sticks, posts and reed tops.
