Today's sightings
This morning we had an early start with our penultimate swans awake event. Walking up to the Lyle and Friends hides gave the best views of the whooper and Bewick's swans waking up and flying out (at a very leisurely pace today). This is the best time of day to see the Bewick's swans, certainly in any number. The final swans awake event is this Wednesday, 6-9am.
It wasn't all swans though, good water levels mean that the reserve is packed with birds, hundreds of wigeon and teal with a few shoveler, gadwall and pintail mixed in. The male ducks were displaying with tail-wagging and chest preening. A little further from the hide were pochard, rafts of tufted duck, a few great crested grebes and goldeneye. Again, the male goldeneye were displaying to the females doing their head-flipping routine.
Back at the main observatory the black-tailed godwits and lapwing were flocked together with dunlin running around their feet. Snipe, curlew, ruff and redshank were also seen. Reed buntings were below the observatory windows clearing up the spilt grain.
A female marsh harrier worked her way up the reserve and a barn owl was also spotted.
