A number of waders have started to arrive on the estuary in mid- July and by 19th these included 218 Curlew, 7 Whimbrel, 18 Oystercatchers, 5 Common Sandpipers and single Dunlin, Redshank and Bar-tailed Godwit. There are also up to 16 Little Egrets and a dozen Shelduck, the latter having bred successfully in at least two areas around the reserve. A few Med Gulls and Sandwich terns have also been seen on occasion, all testimony that for these species at least, autumn has commenced.