Latest sightings
Snow Melting Birds Returning
A busy couple of days clearing snow and feeding birds but all looking good for an re-opening tomorrow. Lots of waders and duck have moved onto the estuary but are starting to come back into the now flooding fields. Rushy Looks great, over 250 Pintail and
3 March 2018
'Beast from the East' is biting
Many areas were frozen over (deep water the exception) the duck flocks managed to keep some sections open. Tack Piece 400 Wigeon, 70 Teal, 30 Pintail, 10 Shoveler and an Oystercatcher. Holden Tower The Red-breasted Goose was among 214 Barnacle Geese,
27 February 2018
Glaucous Gull
Holden Tower A second calendar year (2cy) Glaucous Gull was on the sands until 0840 when it flew upriver 124 European or Russian White-fronted Geese flew in to feed at 0850am, the Red-breasted Gosse was among the Barnacle Geese. A few Skylark were on the
26 February 2018
Sunny Sunday
Drake Pintail on the Rushy Pen Russian White-fronted Geese flying in Rushy Hide and Peng Observatory Little Stint, 80 Pintail and 70+ Bewick's Swans here today (83 still on site) Tack Piece 500 Wigeon, 9 Redshank, 120 Dunlin, a few Golden Plover, up to
25 February 2018
Increasing Avocets
Returning Avocets (below) are a 'sign of spring' feature at this time of year, they tend to come and go with cold weather events, the forecast suggests they may be facing a period of icy mornings which may move them to the Severn estuary/Bristol channel
22 February 2018
1, 2, 3, doh
This weekend is the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) date for February. Counters across the UK are surveying their sites for ducks, geese, swans, waders and other wetland species to help build a picture of how populations are fairing this year for our winteri
18 February 2018
Tack Piece still at its best.
More stunning birding on the Tack Piece. Whitefronted Goose around 90 flew in from the north and stayed on view for 30 minutes before heading back again. Wigeon 900 Teal 300 Pintail 300 Shoveler 20 Golden Plover 700 Lapwing 1600 Dunlin 600 Ruff 11 Redsha
17 February 2018
Cold but sunny
A cold start this morning with many open areas of water frozen including the lower pond of the Rushy, Dumbles scrape and most of the surface of the scrapes at the South Lake and Zeiss Hide. As they have thawed through the morning birds have begun to mov
16 February 2018
Today's sightings
Another cold start on the reserve with ice covering the pools from the Zeiss Hide and the lower pond on the Rushy. Rushy Hide & Peng Observatory A few waders roosted on the causeway and islands including 150+ Lapwing, single Redshank and Ruff and a pa
14 February 2018
Frozen again
Sunny spells, spring breeding migrants arriving and a bit of warmth in the sunshine, but a cold start reminding us we are still in winter. South Lake Hides Around 1600 Lapwing were stood on the ice and islands this morning with 120 Black-tailed Godwit mix
12 February 2018
Raptor wars
This morning the Tack Piece was the setting for an epic battle between a pair of Peregrine and 2 pairs of Buzzard. One of the Peregrine caught a Tufted Duck, which it bought down alive in front of the Martin Smith Hide. The duck struggled but was then
11 February 2018
Big Wigeon Count
Holden Tower Barnacle Goose 170 Red Breasted Goose 1 Crane 1 Wigeon 2800 here this morning with other flocks from around the site added this gives 3250 one of the highest counts of the winter. Pintail 110 look really good. Teal 143 Wader counts some wha
10 February 2018
Today's sightings
Rushy Hide & Peng Observatory All 120 Bewick's Swans were on the Rushy for this morning's feed. A single Redshank was amongst the Lapwing flock and duck included 121 Pochard. . Robbie Garnett Hide The Spotted Redshank was on the Tack Piece feeding a
9 February 2018
Two Whoopers
Rushy Hide and Peng Observatory 120 Bewick's Swans at the roost this morning with two Whooper Swan, the latter flew off to the Tack Piece for a time then headed off NE to Frampton on Severn/Fromebridge. A Little Stint was on the islands. Tack Piece 10 Ruf
6 February 2018
Whooper Swan roosted
Rushy Pen The Whooper Swan appeared at the roost again last night and was still present this morning, 115+ Bewick' Swans were also present. Tack Piece Spotted Redshank, c10 Ruff and c10 Redshank were roosting or feeding on the shore opposite the Stephen
5 February 2018