Wednesday 11th October 2023 - WWT Slimbridge.

 

This month’s Bath RSPB field trip was due to be a coach trip on Saturday 14th to Ogmore by sea, but unfortunately due to lack of numbers it had to be cancelled but Lucy stepped in and organized a trip to Slimbridge. Also Tom arranged for a visit to Marshfield on Saturday, more about that trip in another blog. Today it was just Bryan and myself as David is away.

Back to the Slimbridge trip we were due to meet in the car park but we experienced a frustrating drive where every traffic light was against us so much so that we arrived late and the group had already moved on. As we had no idea where they were starting we made our way to the Rushy Pen, no group here, but we did see Mallard, Mute Swan, Coot, Black Tailed Godwit, Grey Heron, Great Black Back Gull, Greylag and Canada Goose, Black Headed Gull, Teal, Lapwing, Moorhen. Shoveler and Snipe. 



Snipe - Slimbridge unusual to get pictures of these birds
in the open (Bath Birdwatcher)

A Barred Warbler had been on site for a few days so we guessed the group had headed to the Estuary Tower where the bird had been seen. On the was adding Wood Pigeon and Great Tit as we went. 

Woodpigeon - Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher)

The group were at the tower but had not seen the warbler, we were told it had showed an hour or so before our group arrived. While there we did spot Starling, Jackdaw, Robin and Rook. Out on the estuary were Dunlin and flying overhead were Skylark and Goldfinch. On the Tack Piece Bryan spotted a few Wigeon while out on the Estuary I found a Little Egret and Shelduck also 2 Pied Wagtails were playing chase on the ground to our left. The warbler was keeping a very low profile so after almost an hour we decided to move on to Zeiss hide and added House Sparrow on the way. At Zeiss the 1st new sighting was a Ruff we found 5 eventually and while looking a flock of 39 Golden Plover flew in. A single Redshank was in with the flock of Teal. On the Estuary Lucy found 3 Cranes and while I was looking at them I found a Curlew. A Magpie was on the ground in front of us and one of the group spotted a Little Grebe in front of us that had caught a small eel and was struggling with it but eventually managed to eat it. Nothing more here so as it was almost lunch time we decided to get our food and meet at the Rushy Pen, walking to get the car we found a Collared Dove. After lunch we returned the bags to the car and made our way to South Hide and here we added Tufted Duck, Pochard, Lesser Black Back and Herring Gull plus several Cormorants. A bird flew into a tree opposite and through the telescope we were able to identify it as a Song Thrush. Nothing else new here so we moved to the Rushy Hide our last stop, here we identified 2 sleeping waders as Spotted Redshank which was confirmed when they woke up but flew off before I could get a picture

Sleeping Spotted Redshank - Bath Birdwatcher

Time to call it a day and on the way home we added Pheasant and Carrion Crow. It was a pity that the Barred Warbler evaded us as it would have been a life tick but all in all a great day as a replacement for the Ogmore trip.

 

Greylag & Canada Goose - Bath Birdwatcher

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