Severn Wader Festival day 1

Its the first day of the first ever Severn Wader Festival, and we've got a great selection of species who are here to celebrate with us.  By lunchtime our Guides in the Hides had wracked up 13 species including: Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, Snipe, Redshank, Ruff, Curlew, Whimbrel, Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Little Stint.  We're keeping an eye out for additional species seen this week including Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Knot and Avocet.

Common Redshank at Slimbridge

South Lake Hides

Four Cranes (Bart, Ruby, Squidgy and Slim) dropped in mid-morning and stayed into the afternoon joining the mixed wader flock made up of 50+ Lapwing, 37 Redshank, 161 Black-tailed Godwit and 11 Ruff.
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Holden Tower

Excitement throughout the morning with an Osprey heading down the river and a Marsh Harrier quartering the Dumbles around 8am, and then around hide tide a Fulmar was seen to head back down the river being harassed by a small group of large gulls which successfully knocked the bird from the air into the river before it made hast and disappeared south.  Early afternoon saw a Hobby, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk added to the day list.
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Rushy Hide

A nice selection of waders this morning for our Bird Watch Morning group including 2 Snipe, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Redshank, 4 Ruff, 2 Green Sandpiper.  The two very mobile juvenile Spotted Redshank dropped in briefly around lunchtime before moving off again.
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Zeiss Hide

High tide around 11am pushed in 150+ Dunlin along with a single Curlew Sandpiper.  A juvenile Little Stint was already present from early morning.  At least 12 juvenile Ruff were feeding on the scrape along with a single Redshank and Green Sandpiper.
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