Wednesday 20th December 2023 - Slimbridge.

 

Bewick's Swan Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher)

The weather again dictated bird spotting this week, Tuesday being a wet day we moved our day out to Wednesday and as this would probably be the last time this year the 3 Amigos will be out and about Slimbridge was chosen for our last hoorah. On the journey to Slimbridge we spotted 2 Red Kites many Pheasants a flock of Fieldfares and 2 Buzzards sat in the same field. In the car park at Slimbridge we were welcomed with a huge flock of waders that had probably been put up by a bird of prey the flock consisted of many hundreds of Golden Plover and Lapwings along with a few Curlews and a small flock of Starlings. On the way into the center a Collared Dove was in a tree. Inside in the grounds we made for South Hide as high tide was just after lunch so we though that Tower Hide would be better then. On the way to the hide we ticked Rook, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Coot, Mute Swan, Greylag and Canada Geese, Mallard and Jackdaw. 

Greylag Goose Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher)

In the Hide a Great Crested Grebe was on the deep lake and on the bar in front of the hide were Shoveler and Teal, Cormorants were on the wooden posts. On the scrape were about 12 Avocets with a few Gadwall, a Grey Heron was on the bankside and 3 species of gull were in the shallow water Common, Black Headed and Herring. Nothing more was seen here so we moved on heading for Zeiss hide we soon added Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Wren, Long Tailed Tit and Robin too our list of sightings. Reaching the otter enclosure we made a detour towards the Hogarth Hide and close to here we found a flock of 20+ Siskins. 

Siskin Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher)

Inside the hide Wigeon and Shelduck were seen. We then continued to Zeiss adding Goldfinch, Song Thrush and Redwing on the way. Once in the hide all the waders and teal took to the air in panic, we realised a bird of prey must be about and so it proved when Bryan spotted a Peregrine and as we watched, it stooped and knocked a teal to the ground and soon settled on it but out of sight behind the reeds. A Great White Egret flew over as did 3 Cranes and David spotted a small bird on the top of a hedge which turned out to be a Stonechat, We also added Great Black Back Gull and Barnacle Geese before setting off to the South Finger where a Firecrest had been found the previous day, but no sign of the Firecrest but we did find a couple of Chiffchaffs a Chaffinch and a Great Tit. In the Kingfisher hide a dozen or so White Fronted Geese were in front of the hide, the only other new sighting for the day was a Magpie. As it was now past our normal lunch time we set off back to the car and while walking back through South Finger we found a Goldcrest and try as hard as we could it couldn’t be made into a Firecrest. Walking through the grounds a family party of 4 Bewick’s Swans flew over. After lunch our first stop was the Peng Observatory here we added Pochard, Pintail, Redshank and Pied Wagtail to the days rapidly expanding total. 


Pintail Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher)

Redshank Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher)

Next stop Martin Smith hide and here we added another 2 day ticks, Spotted Redshank and Snipe then on to the Willow Hide here a Water Rail that scuttled into the undergrowth before we could get a good view was another tick, also here I had my 1st Blackbird of the day, having missed one earlier. Last stop was the Tower Hide and here I found a different goose and as I said to the others about it, this guy next to me said it was a Pink Footed Goose and it was the only one and had arrived during the day and was a year tick for the 3 of us. We also found Dunlin and Ruff in amongst the geese and plover. Walking back to the car we stopped again at the woodland hide where we glimpsed the Water Rail again and also House Sparrow which proved to be the 64th and last sighting of the day.

Otters Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher)


 

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