August 2022 WeBS Count
Over the weekend a trio of Cranes were seen to fly out of the Rushy, with no sightings today it seems the breeding pair and juvenile have flown out to the greater reserve or even beyond. Three our of the four chicks have been seen in flight so far, only the South Lake pair to go.Sightings for the weekend include (most for today with yesterday in brackets)Middle Point15 Ringed Plover, 1 Sanderling, 122 Dunlin, 30+ Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Avocet, 76 Curlew, Cape Shelduck or hybrid with Shelduck flock. The Dumbles28 Curlew and 2 Kestrel. Summer Walkway/Tack Piece fenceRedstart, Sedge and Reed Warbler + Common Whitethroats.South Lake27 Pied Wagtail, juvenile Dunlin, 5 Lapwing, 20 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Teal + busy deep lake with duck species. Top New PieceSingle Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Sandpiper, 70 Lapwing, Spoonbill, 26 Shoveler and c35 Teal. (juvenile Wood Sandpiper here yesterday).Rushy HideAvocet, Juvenile Dunlin, 6 Snipe, 2 Spotted Redshank, 11+ Ruff, 22 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, 4 Lapwing. Tack PieceSnipe, 4 Green Sandpiper, 3 Lapwing, 12 Teal. Afternoon Wildlife safariJuvenile Buzzard, Grey Heron, 2 Little Egrets, Crane pair with young, 3 Kestrel, Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler, Roe Deer, Painted Lady and Common Blue butterflies, Brown Hawker dragonfly and a (the!) Lancaster bomber!
Top New PieceTwo breeding plumage Curlew Sandpipers (moulting) with increased flock number of 84 Dunlin plus calling Water Rail, 279 Black-tailed Godwit, 60 Lapwing, 28 Shoveler, 21 Teal, Ross"s Goose came in to drink with the Barnacle Geese.Rushy Hide/Peng ObservatorySpotted Redhshank, 80 Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Redshank, 2 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Avocet, 3 Lapwing and 12 Ruff. Tack Piece31 Teal, 21 Shoveler, 6 Green Sandpiper, 3 Lapwing and Common Sandpiper on the scrape, juvenile Whitethroat feeding below Stephen Kirk Hide. South LakeSix Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, 3 Lapwing, Crane pair with juvenile + Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Greylag and 16 Pied Wagtails plus a second Cape Shelduck (or hybrid).Middle PointGreat to see a freshly fledged juvenile Curlew and four colour ringed birds among 97 counted, small flocks of 9 + 18 Dunlin, Cape Shelduck (or hybrid) 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Kestrel and 3 Little Egret. Knott HideWeasel, Cetti's, Reed and 2 Willow Warblers. Summer WalkwayA family of C. Whitethroats.
This morning a flock of 24 Mandarin Duck were on the Decoy
Looking out from the Scott House this morning, our founder Sir Peter Scott would have seen a whole host of birds he may never have imagined would be possible on the Rushy
The first juvenile Black-tailed Godwit of the season was with the flock on the Tack Piece this morning
The weather has been a little grey, windy and occasionally damp in the last few days, but the farmers are still out making hay when the sun does shine
We've seen an increase in the number of Kestrel on the reserve in recent days, presumably a locally fledged brood now exploring the big wide world
The Caspian Tern was again on the reserve today, first on the estuary off Middle Point before moving to the Top New Piece, and making a brief stop at the South Lake
The Caspian Tern has been seen flying north along the canal this morning, and then dropped in on the reserve around 12noon
What a difference a day makes as temperatures drop more than 10 degrees
No sighings of either the Pectoral Sandpiper or Caspian Tern through the day
The hottest day of the year so far produced a few notable sightings
Several pairs of Swallow have already completed their first brood, and are now busy setting up nests for their second
The flock of Black-tailed Godwit has been increasing every day this week as birds arrive back from Iceland