Latest sightings
Today's sightings
A great start to the day in the sunshine with the highlight being an adult male Goshawk hunting from the Zeiss Hide. Check out the video on our Twitter here. The bird had lots of choose from with plenty of duck and waders on the scrape and feeding in
3 February 2017
Wet and windy!
The recent rains have topped up many of the pools and left standing water in many of the fields, particularly the fields around the South Finger hides and out on the Dumbles, where birds are making the most of the conditions! Holden Tower The Dumbles wer
2 February 2017
Today's sightings
The reserve seems to have been coming alive over the last few days with the warmer weather. This morning the Holden Walkway was alive with bird song of the resident species including Dunnock, Robin, Wren and Song Thrush. As the morning progressed ther
1 February 2017
Increasing Bitterns and a Lapland Bunting
A rewarding morning was spent with a Birdwatch Morning group from 0800-1030am, we had a really nice selection of birds and a brief Otter!. After a break I spent until lunch doing a bit of 'Guide in the Hide -ing' in the Zeiss Hide, the birding was still b
29 January 2017
Sightings, Saturday 28th Jan
Rushy Bewick's Swan 152 Pintail 77 Pochard 45 Redshank 1 Dunlin 5 Little Stint 1 Hybrid Wigeon Holden Tower and Hides Whitefronted Goose 120 (flew in at 09.45) Barnacle Goose 120 Wigeon 850 Lapwing 140 Dunlin 20 Knot 12 over the estuary. Crane 3 Great Cre
28 January 2017
Foggy dawn, sunny day.
Once the fog cleared from the site we were left with a day of sunshine. Zeiss Hide Snipe flocks were feeding in the cut rush, image below was taken this morning. Yesterday Water Rail and Cetti's Warbler also showing well here. Van de Bovenkamp Hide At
24 January 2017
Sunny Saturday Sightings
One of two Bitterns on view from the Van Der Bovenkamp hide this morning. A very sunny start to the day giving great views of the birds from the hides: Van De Bovenkamp Hide Bittern- One showing very well for prolonged periods of time in front o
21 January 2017
Bright frost and more Whitefronts.
Hard frost this morning so activity confined largely to the ice free areas of the Rushy, South Lake and Zeiss Hide. Rushy Bewick 154 Pochard 120 Teal 180 Lapwing 70 Dunlin 1 Little Stint 1 Snipe 5 Redshank 1 South Lake Looking great in the sunshine. 1350
20 January 2017
WeBS count info for 15 January.
The monthly WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) count was rather disappointing for numbers, the drier winter has had an impact as well as the count following a freeze up which causes dispersal. The totals follow below as well as some highlights for the last two da
16 January 2017
Knot a bad hide round
South Lake Returning waders on the wader scrape was a welcome sight, at least 27 Red Knot and 150 Black-tailed Godwit were roosting and feeding with the Lapwing flock. The Red Knot has a rather misleading name at this time of year. All of these birds are
10 January 2017
Waders returning after the freeze up
Thick fog prevented viewing first thing this morning fortunately it did clear enough to allow bird watching by 0930am but descended once again late afternoon. It was great to see the waders returning after the repeatedly cold, frosty days last week. Wade
8 January 2017
Saturday Sightings- Pink footed goose and ruff
A cloudy day with patches of fog made visibility difficult but the following birds were noted this morning: Rushy Pen: Pink footed goose- adult present with the greylags although rather mobile today. Bewick's swan 142 Dunlin 1 Little Stint 1 Redshank 1 Ho
7 January 2017
Today's highlights
We had another cold night so many ponds and the fields were frozen meaning less waders about the reserve. Highlights today included... Two Bitterns at the South Finger, one near Kingfisher Hide the other from Van de Bovenkamp Hide. Little Stint on the Rus
3 January 2017
Bittern bonanza
Its been a great few days for Bittern sightings on the South Finger, with birds seen from Zeiss Hide, Kingfisher Hide and the Van de Bovenkamp Hide. At least two birds have been seen this morning so if you're visiting now the fog has cleared be sure to
30 December 2016
It's cold outside
A rather cold morning and the majority of the reserve is frozen, although there is still some open water on the South Lake and Long Ground Pool, the latter viewed from the Holden Tower. Lapwing roosting on the ice at South
28 December 2016