The first redwings say winter's coming

There's a real feel of autumn in the air this morning - a few more pochards on the lagoon (well, five), the first redwings of the winter leaving their roost site in the berry bushes, and I even dug out my woolly hat.  Best bird of the last couple of days has been a grey plover on the estuary, still feeding on the mud this morning, a species we only average once a year here.

Other waders over the last couple of days have included 3 black-tailed godwits, greenshank, a bar-tailed godwit, 10 snipe and a knot - though Monday (11th) featured 7 knot and Sunday (10th) had 8 bar-tailed godwits and an impressive 377 redshanks, 318 curlews and 21 dunlins.

Summer migrants are all but gone, so a whimbrel on Sunday was a surprise, as was a wheatear reported yesterday on the estuary track (hope they checked it wasn't an isabelline wheatear...!).

Some of our more secretive residents have been a bit more evident this week, with great views of a water rail from Benarth Hide on Sunday and a female bearded tit at the back of the bridge pond the same day, while a kingfisher was seen on Saturday, the first here for a few weeks.  A razorbill on the estuary was another surprise on Sunday, while two bramblings flew over on Friday (8th), but didn't stop.

Looking back to last weekend, wigeon numbers built up to 80 by Saturday and a female pintail was found by the Saturday guided walk .  A peregrine has been seen regularly, with one treating the new islands outside the coffee shop as a dinner table, plucking its prey on top of the muddy mound.  Other visitors have had great views of it on the estuary, and stoats continue to provide entertainment, with sightings most days: in front of the coffee shop, near the dipping pond, on the Ganol section of the grey heron trail and along the estuary.  Always great value, especially in the sunshine that has dominated every day this week.

We've now finished work to manage the vegetation on the islands, but still have some reed to burn, but any disturbance will be confined to areas away from the water.  Water is still something that's in short supply, as we've gone another week with no rain.  North Wales Drystone Walling Association built a new 'clawdd' wall at the weekend next to the Visitor Centre, and when complete the new gate next to it will become our out-of-hours entrance and exit.