A big thank you to all of those who helped with delivering a great GIAH experience for many visitors to the reserve. The weather was kind and there were many people out and about enjoying the pleasant October sunshine.

The team based in the Gooders hide engaged with 130 Adults and 52 young people. Those based near the Discovery Centre engaged with 43 Adults.

At the Gooders hide we had over 30 species of bird, including Bar-tailed Godwit and a distant Greenshank. Swallows were constantly passing through and a large bouncing flock of Linnet caught the attention of visitors on several occasions. These birds would then often land on the saltmarsh areas along with Meadow Pipits and a few fluttery Skylarks in order to feed on the plant seed available. Redshanks, with their brightly coloured legs and habit of ‘paddling’ straight in front of the hide were enjoyed by many. Another popular sight, particularly through the telescopes, was close-up views of a feeding Curlew. Visitors were often stunned by the length of the bill.

Outside the Discovery Centre, 29 species provided lots of interest, including a Kingfisher and Hobby which were appreciated by those present at the time. Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit were on the Saltmarsh and easily viewable through the available telescopes.

Duck numbers are building up nicely, with whistling Wigeon drawing attention to themselves, whilst amongst them were a few Pintail, Teal and Gadwall plus the more common Mallard.