Sunday 16 January sightings
Highlights from around the hides and grounds as follows
Estuary Tower
Two Peregrine Falcons, one bathed in the Dumbles pools around midday. The Russian White-fronted geese arrived here for fifteen minutes or so before heading back towards the SE section of the reserve. A flock of 380 Wigeon were on the scrape with ever changing numbers of Lapwing and Dunlin. The adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose was on the edge of the saltmarsh with the Canad Geese and the Ross' Goose was with the Barnacle Geese. A few Skylark were near the scrape.
Four Little and two Cattle Egret were still in the Long Ground roost site at 08:15am, other Cattle Egrets were noted flying over the car park to the West prior to this.
Tack Piece
A Little Stint was with the Dunlin first thing this morning, numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plover built up through the morning, the 'Goldies' reached 2040 by 1pm. A few Curlew, 3 Snipe, 27 Redshank and 21 Ruff were the pick of the waders, the latter were only seen early morning. Flocks of Wigeon, Teal and Pintail were on the flood, fleet and scrapes.
Kingfisher Hide/Bottom New PIece
A Merlin was perched in the dead trees that border the channel late morning/midday, also two Water Rail, a Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker + Lesser Redpoll, two Treecreeper, a few Goldcrest and 2 Bullfinch from the main access path.
Van de Bovenkamp Hide
A 'highest count of the winter' so far- 172 Russian White-fronted and three Greenland White-fronted Geese in the Tins Shed field with Greylags, they did leave/or were flushed at 12:30pm ish.
Top New Piece/Zeiss Hide
225 Wigeon, 260 Teal, Snipe, Water Rail below the hide, 16 Pintail + flocks of 400 Lapwing and 220 Dunlin.
Martin Smith Hide
Two Snipe. a Kingfisher was fishing from the bridge first thing this morning.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
99 Bewick's Swans at dawn with another 4 on the Tack Piece, the Avocet, 14 Snipe, 68 Pintail and 40 Pochard also noted.
Loopway path to Hogarth Hide
Two Lesser Redpoll with the Goldfinch flock, 20+ Chaffinch, a Chiffchaff and a Green Woodpecker + single Raven over SE.
Duck Decoy/boardwalk 'marsh garden'
A very confiding Water Rail continues to show in the marshy area between the Big Pen path and the board walk + a Chiffchaff.
Matrix/Mission possible exhibit
A Greenfinch was calling from the treetops here this morning
