Sighting and news to week ending 15 March 2026
Come and see our wild Kingfishers!
We now two pairs of Kingfishers digging holes or refurbishing nest sites and viewable from the hides, please be very quiet in the Duck Decoy Hide and Kingfisher Hide to help them settle in and remain calm. In a good season we expect two broods per pair but a third attempt is not unheard of. The best time to see them is now, catch them whilst they are pairing up, actively digging and while they begin to lay eggs, once incubation of the eggs begins the male will visit with fish for the female, the visits increase when the chicks hatch with both then feeding young until they fledge (leave the nest). You might walk into a hide and the birds are present and showing superbly or have to wait until one visits.
It can be quiet for a week or two until they decide to nest again. Timing will help with a successful sighting, they are small birds so carefully look in the low trees and branches as they are often sat nearby. We will have Guides in the Hides present on and off to help you spot one.
Please note that the hide windows are closed up, any photographs taken will be through glass. The South Finger nest bank is around 40-45m from the hide, the Decoy bank is around 60m. We will clean the windows around the birds incubation period, when it's a quiet period, we will clean them.
And the Cranes are dancing on the Dumbles!
As the breeding season approaches, our population of Cranes can be seen dancing, particularly on the dry days. Around 1330-1400hrs at least 15 on the Dumbles today, ten un-ringed birds and five ringed birds, the un-ringed birds consist of mostly younger age and were very active making short flights and jumping, posturing and making bugling calls.
Upcoming Events
Guided Birdwatch Walk - Friday 20th March
Birding for Beginners - Saturday 21st March
Birdsong Walk - Monday 30th March
Moth Morning - This free drop-in event is weather dependent, so keep an eye on social media and this Blog for date confirmation closer to the time.
Wednesday 11 March
Dumbles
From Estuary Tower there were 8 Cranes including Oakie and Sherbert, Skylark singing, 4 Avocet on the scrape with 25 Shoveler, 2 Pintail and Teal too.
Decoy Hide
Looking onto the Duck Decoy Pool the Kingfisher’s were showing as well as a Water Rail, Sparrowhawk and Bullfinch too.
Tack Piece
From Martin Smith Hide there were 2 Cetti's Warbler singing, Spoonbill feeding in the channel, Sand Martins overhead, 1 Red Kite, 185 White-fronted Geese, 2 Avocet, 10 Redshank with a couple starting to show breeding plumage, 4 Roe Deer, Pintail, Wigeon and Shoveler.
Kingfisher Hide
Both male and female Kingfishers were very active around the bank with 18 Teal, 2 Gadwall and 4 Tufted Duck on the water and a female Marsh Harrier.
Top New Piece
From Zeiss Hide on the scrapes there were 110 Teal, 76 Wigeon, 12 Shelduck, Redshank, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard, Cetti's Warbler and 1 Great Egret.
Tuesday 10 March
South Lake
A Cattle Egret in the willow brash on deep lake. A few hundred Black-headed Gulls with c25 Herring and a couple of Common Gulls, flocks of Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and Teal and Shoveler. Pair of Cranes.
Tack Piece
At least 18 Bewick's Swan took flight early morning and headed NE, a pair with two cygnets returned to Rushy and 7 returned to Tack Piece, c300 Wigeon, 100 Teal, 8 Pintail and 30+ Shoveler. A later count of 25 Russian White-fronted Geese here. Seven Cranes. The Spoonbill appeared here mid-morning. At lunchtime the 21 Bewick's Swans were still present (3 juveniles) plus at least 175 Russian White-fronted Geese late afternoon.
Kingfisher Hide
Male Kingfisher outside the nest hole (note that windows facing bank are closed up to prevent disturbance). 6 Lapwing in display flight over Bottom New Piece + Sparrowhawk over toward grounds.
Estuary Tower
75 Russian White-fronted Geese on the increasing to 85 later, with two Barnacle Geese early morning, the scrape holding a few hundred duck- Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler and Pintail + 3 pairs of Avocet. Around 12 Sand Martin came in from the North.
Top New Piece
Spoonbill early morning, a few Lapwing and Redshank on the islands, c80 Teal, 90 Wigeon and a few Gadwall and Shoveler + trilling Little Grebe.
Car Park
A Lesser Redpoll feeding in the trees again.
Grounds
A few Siskins about.
Monday 9 March
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
21 Bewick's Swans but no sign of the Whooper Swans, 5 Pochard, 4 Shoveler, 42 Pintail + flocks of pairs of Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Greylag, Teal, Coot and Moorhen
Tack Piece
A flock of 22 Pied Wagtails had a male White Wagtail for company.
