Today's sightings
Another lovely sunny day to make the most of as the weather tomorrow looks a bit more mixed.
Robbie Garnett Hide
The Wood Sandpiper remains on the Tack Piece along with 2 Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, 3 Black-tailed Godwit and a juvenile Little-ringed Plover. The cattle have been put back out on to the Tack Piece field and a few Yellow Wagtails have joined them, with other birds also seen with the English Longhorn herd currently in front of the Zeiss Hide. A few Pied Wagtails are feeding around the edge of the scrape on the Tack Piece and have been joined this morning by at least 5 Meadow Pipit.
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South Lake Hides
A tightly packed roost of 224 Black-tailed Godwits this morning in the centre of the scrape, whilst other waders fed or roosted towards the back shoreline. Other waders included 2 Green Sandpiper, 60 Redshank, 7 Ruff and 78 Lapwing. The back shoreline has been good for Snipe lately, so check carefully when looking through the waders. A Little Grebe was on the deep lake along with 50+ Gadwall, 20+ Tufted Duck and a Pochard.
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Zeiss Hide
A rather quiet scrape with just a single Ruff present. Three Cranes were preening on the shoreline and a Grey Heron was warming up in the sun on the edge of the reedbed. Out on the river one of the Peregrines successfully caught a gull before landing on the mudflat to finish the kill. Before it had chance a second Peregrine arrived and whilst both seemed somewhat distracted, a Marsh Harrier dropped in and tried to steal the kill. In the confusion, the gull escaped.
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Kingfisher Hide
A well grown brood of 5 Shoveler ducklings were on the pond this morning, presumably one of the families that were seen on the Bottom New Piece over the last few weeks. A group of 20 Gadwall were further back down the channel with a pair of Mute Swan. At least 2 Goldcrest were calling in the trees just outside the hide entrance.
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Holden Tower
Two Peregrines were sat on the posts along the edge of the river this morning. Out on the mudflats was a flock of over 600 small waders, which looked mainly like Dunlin and Ringed Plover. A few Curlew were also amongst them.
