14th December 2021 - Slimbridge

 

This week we had two choices of where to go spotting as we wanted to try and increase our year lists, so Somerset Levels or Slimbridge were the options and in the end, we chose to go to Slimbridge.

We set off and, on our journey, we saw Rook, Woodpigeon, Common Gull, Magpie, Jackdaw, Pheasant, House Sparrow and Black Headed Gull. In Slimbridge car park the first birds we saw was a flock of Curlew flying out of the reserve presumable to feed in the local fields, also overhead were Starlings, Redwings Mute Swan and Tufted Ducks. Walking to the entrance Moorhens were in or by the ponds and a Dunnock was in the undergrowth. Once inside we met 4 members of our local Bath RSPB group and while chatting Greylag Geese were flying around and Mallards were in some of the pens. We all decided to head for Zeiss hide as a Bittern had been showing well. On the way we added Blackbird and Robin. In the hide overlooking the reed beds and scrape we could see many hundreds of different birds with Golden Plover, Lapwing, Teal and Wigeon in good numbers. On the edge of the reed-bed right below us was a single Snipe sat in the open completely oblivious to our presence.

Snipe-Slimbridge(Bath Birdwatcher)

 A guy in the hide pointed out a Peregrine sat in the grass. On the shore of the Severn were large flocks of geese and from our vantage point we could see Canada Geese a Ross Goose and Barnacle Geese. Again, in the reed-bed a pair of Stonechats were seen, another bird pointed out was a Common Crane one of the many reared at Slimbridge and released on the Somerset Levels but found their way back to Slimbridge. Pintail one of the prettier ducks appeared from nowhere more likely hidden by reeds. In with the large flock of Lapwings was a Black Tailed Godwit and a few Dunlin. A Grey Heron that was hiding in the reeds appeared and a Water Rail ran over an area of flattened reeds. Back in the Lapwing flock several Ruff were spotted. Out on the estuary a Great Black Back Gull was on a sand bar. We left the group that we had met and moved on to the South Finger here we added Wren. Chiffchaff and Great Spotted Woodpecker, From the first hide Shoveler and Pochard were seen and in the Kingfisher Hide Blue and Great Tits were visiting the feeders, but the area was very quiet due to work parties. It was getting close to lunch time and we wanted to visit South Lake, on the way Goldfinch and a Goldcrest were seen. At South Lake I realised I had not logged Coot which we had seen many times during the morning. Also seen here were Cormorant and Avocet. Walking back to the car Long Tailed Tit and Chaffinch was seen. After lunch we went to the Rushy here we saw the first of many Bewick’s Swans also Shelduck, Pied Wagtails, Redshank and a Carrion Crow feeding on a carcass of some sort. Visiting the hides heading for the Tower Hide we added Marsh Harrier and Buzzard to our list of raptors. And in the Willow Hide we had great views of one of the most secretive water birds Water Rail.


Water Rail-Slimbridge(Bath Birdwatcher)

  In the Tower just 2 extra species were seen, White Fronted Goose and Bar Headed Goose, but there were so many Geese, what a great sight and a good way to sign off the day. Heading back to the car we popped into the Willow Hide where we watched 4 Rats eating the food dropped from the feeders.


Wigeon-Slimbridge(Bath Birdwatcher)


In the end we missed out on the Bittern as it decided not to show but the fantastic views of the Water Rail more than made up for this.

 

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