Very high Spring tide and our first LRP of the year

The very high Spring tide pushed up and over the Dumbles, it flooded the whole area to some depth, the birding was really good with many species close to the Estuary Tower or moving to the Tack Piece. Our first Little-ringed Plover of the year arrived over the Dumbles before briefly settling in the Tack Piece, it flew off towards the Top New Piece.

Other highlights included what is left of our wintering birds, newly arrived passage wildfowl and a few Spring migrants, Chiffchaffs are very much in evidence with 20+ around the site.

Bottom New Piece from Kingfisher Hide

Seven Lapwing displaying.

Top New Piece

Two Spoonbills, 5 Oystercatcher + Black-tailed Godwits and a few ducks.

Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory

Two Whooper Swans, 47 Pintail, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Pochard + Teal, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Tufted Duck and Mute Swan, Blackcap and Goldcrest singing along the lane.

A few flocks of Siskins in the Alders.

Tack Piece

Our first Little-ringed Plover of 24 called in over the high tide, also single Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit, two Ringed Plover, 160 Dunlin, 200+ Black-tailed Godwit, male Marsh Harrier hunting. 11 Bewick's Swans roosted and were still feeding here, plus Spotted Redshank, Ruff, Redshank, Curlew, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwits, 45 Pintail, Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal.

Martin Smith Hide

Two Snipe and 2 Little Egret.

Estuary Tower

The Dumbles completely flooded, all birds moved off or floated over the high tide- it was busy with Wigeon, Pintail, Shelduck, Teal, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Dunlin, Barnacle and Canada Geese and gulls. At least 200 Russian White-fronted Geese flew over to Goose House and Ox Piece. A Scandinavian Rock Pipit was feeding around the scrape this afternoon and a 2cy Mediterranean Gull was among the feeding Black-headed Gulls.

South Lake

Ninety Avocet, Black-tailed Godwits, flocks of Teal and Shoveler, 2 Crane, Goldeneye, GC Grebe, Black-headed Gulls.

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