Despite 6mm of rain falling in the space of 15 minutes or so during this afternoon's thunder storm, I still had to run the big Syke's 6" diesel pump onto the Flood for a few hours to top up dwindling water levels. It would be nice to be able to rely on rainfall to keep the Flood wet at the moment, but I'm also trying to dry out a section of pools so that we can manage them later on this month (control the invasive sea club-rush, harrow up the substrate & add a bit of vegetable matter for extra nutrients), so I don't want too much rain.
There are still at least 12 spotted redshanks around the reserve, best seen at the moment from Wellmarsh hide. Other waders on the Flood included 7 ruff, 130 black-tailed godwit, 6 dunlin, 30 ringed plover and 6 common sandpiper. Out on the Swale there were 27 grey plover, 45 dunlin, 4 whimbrel & at least 20 great crested grebe. A minimum of 14 green sandpipers were around the reserve as well.