For this
week’s bird spotting day out, we decided to pay a visit to WWT Slimbridge where
we are all members. Our last visit was back on the 15th of July so
we were overdue a visit. The drive was very fraught as the road through Dursley
was closed and the detour was badly signed so Bryan used directions on his
phone to guide us in. We arrived some 20 minutes later than usual but once in
the car park spotting could commence here we saw Woodpigeon,
Jackdaw and Cormorant all fly overs Rooks huddled together in the top of a tree, and a
Blue Tit in bushes by the entrance. Once
inside we headed for Peng Observatory finding Moorhen,
Collared Dove and Shelduck on the
way. Once inside there were 100’s of birds to work through with Mute and Bewick’s
Swans standing out from the rest.
 |
| Bewick's Swan - Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher) |
There were also many Tufted Ducks, Pochard plus a few beautiful Pintail. There must have been 100+ Lapwing that were everywhere you looked with
smaller numbers of Shoveler, Mallard, Teal and
Coot but just a single Black Headed Gull ( although we saw many more
during the day). Bryan noticed a Black Swan on
the far bank, one of two we saw, also seen were Curlew,
Wigeon, Redshank and Greylag Geese. Moving
on to the 1st hide that overlooks the same area but from a different
direction but nothing different was found. Next we headed for Martin Smith Hide
where we found a singing Robin on the way
but since our last visit a new path fence and gate has been put in bypassing
the hide but there was a path back to the hide but we were searching for a
Firecrest that has been seen regularly in this area in fact in the same morning
so we joined a group of birders all searching for this bird but all we could
find were 2 Chiffchaffs, a flock of Long Tailed Tits a male Chaffinch
and a Goldcrest but no sign of the
Firecrest, but we would pass this area again later so next stop the Willow Hide
here lots of House Sparrows were visiting
the feeders allowing the occasional Blue and
Great Tit to grab a morsel before flying
off. A Dunnock and Chaffinch
were feeding on the ground below the feeder and a Male Teal was also present.  |
| Male Teal - Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher) |
To the left behind some low
bushes the head of a Grey Heron would pop
up. To the right of the hide was several teasles where a single Goldfinch was prising out the seeds.  |
| Goldfinch - Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher) |
Just across
the path is the Robbie Garret which looks over a large area of wet grassland where
many 1000,s of birds were present including probably 1000 Golden Plover also seen were Black Tailed Godwits, Ruff, Dunlin, Starlings were
everywhere and at the back of the field with a group of Canada Geese were 4 White Fronted
Geese. Someone in the hide then spotted a few Snipe
out to our left only visible when they lifted their heads, Carrion Crows flew over with a Herring
Gull and in the distance we noted
a flyby Great White Egret, our last sighting
here was a Pied Wagtail. We then moved on to
the Tower Hide where Barnacle Geese and a
single Ross’s Goose were by the riverbank,
and a Great Black Back Gull resting in the
grass. Small flocks of Skylark and Linnets were seen in the grass. Nearing lunch time
so we started making our way back to the car adding Magpie
and flyover Ravens to our list, we
bumped into Anne and Robert by the Willow Hide and talking to them they were
hoping for a Firecrest but had like us failed to find any, nor did we as we
searched as we walked to the car for lunch. Lunch finished we made our way to
the Duck Decoy hide on the way we heard a Cetti’s Warbler
that David saw but Bryan and Tony missed, nothing new from the hide but
walking back the Cetti’s was still calling
and showed very well so we all had an excellent view. Last stop was South Lake
here again were lots of wildfowl but just one species new for the day Gadwall. Driving this morning we did see Pheasants but I didn’t include it as I thought we
would see them at Slimbridge but we didn’t have enough time to get as far as
South Finger a place they are often seen. |
| Chaffinch - Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher) |
Comments
Post a Comment