Image- Black-tailed Godwit, Rushy Lower Pond, MJM
Upcoming Events
Guided Birdwatch Walk 28 October
Optics Days 1 November and 6 December 2026
Birding for Beginners 25 November
Guided Birdwatch Walk 26 November
Summer Walkway closing for the winter season
Final access for the summer walkway and Middle Point will be on Saturday 24 October, note that the clocks change and timings for hide closures will change on the 25 October. No further access from Sunday 25 October as we begin to shut the reserve down for the birds. Hedge cutting will take place along the summer walkway soon, if it occurs before this 25 October we may have to close the path whilst the tractor is working, this is for safety. The reserve team still plan to coppice 30% of the willows along the Summer Walkway and Tack Piece ditch, as well as some tree work at Estuary Tower and Stephen Kirk hide.
Cattle will be grazing on the Tack Piece for a final session at some point then removed for the season.
Seasonal habitat work, essential maintenance and farming
*Please note that you may encounter farming activity, seasonal habitat management, infrastructure maintenance or survey work around the reserve. This can include the use of machinery. We typically work in one area at a time with a large team to get the job done quickly and safely. We manage the other wetland areas to offer a quiet place to feed and rest, short-term localised disturbance is possible. Our birds simply move to another spot for a time and return once we finish, the first phase of work in the Rushy led to outstanding views of waders on the Tack Piece.
It's important to allow quiet during the evenings and very early mornings when birds are roosting so most work is carried out when a full team is on site between 0800-1630hrs. This work is essential for biodiversity and the annual cycle of the reserve and also to keep the place operational, pumps, filter, pipes and much more need attention. This work also allows us to keep views open to our scrapes and lakes following the breeding season.
*Note that we aim to work in the reed bed below the Zeiss Hide one day this week.
*We will also be working in the Rushy and Top Hut area from 19 to 23 October with at least one day out on the lake, possibly more. We have willow pollarding/coppicing, the rest of the field to mow, some tree pulling, island repair, shoreline and swan trap strimming and swan trap repairs.
Greater Flamingo on the River Severn
A second calendar year greater flamingo has been sighted on the River Severn close to WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre. Identified by her green ring ‘LHH’, the young female flamingo belongs to Birdland Park and Gardens, in Bourton-on-the-Water, from where she has recently taken flight and become separated from her flock. Working closely with our colleagues at Birdland, we are monitoring her movements and keeping them updated. She currently appears healthy, coping well and not causing a disturbance to other birds.
Sunday 18 October
Tack Piece
139 Wigeon, 18 Shoveler, 3 Pintail, 5 Moorhen, c80 Teal and a flock of Greylag and Canada Geese on the field, flock of Linnets.
Estuary Tower
Two Russian White-fronted Geese on the Dumbles with the Greylags, 30 Meadow Pipits, 20 Skylarks, Peregrine.
Middle Point
On the mudflats-Buzzard on carrion, 14 Cranes, 3 Little Egret, 5 Lapwing, 9 Golden Plover, small flocks of Dunlin, 100+ Avocet to the north, 6 Pintail, 5 Wigeon, c60 Teal, Rock Pipit + a few Meadow Pipits, Snipe over, 2 Mute Swan 203 Shelducks.
South Lake
Juvenile female Goldeneye (flew off), 25 Pochard, 13 Cormorant and Little Grebe on deep lake section, 3 Spotted Redshank, 172 Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, 21 Lapwing, 15 Pintail, 98 Shoveler and c130 Teal on the wader scrape, Chiffchaff calling.
Top New Piece
Juvenile Spotted Redshank, 9 Ruff, 26 Lapwing, 3 Stonechat, Black-tailed Godwit, 150 Teal, 8 Shoveler, Coot.
South Finger
Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 12 Gadwall, 2 Golden Plover over Bottom New Piece.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler, 3 Redshank, 6 Snipe, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 33 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, Little and Great Egrets, Little Grebe, 61 Lapwing, 5 Pintail and 60 Teal.
Visible migration
100-150 Redwing over the site so far this morning, heading in all directions, no pattern to the movements, a few Chaffinch over too
Saturday 17 October
Dumbles/River from Estuary Tower
14 Crane, 1 Peregrine, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Great Black Back Gulls, 1 Raven, 145 Shelduck, 25 Barnacle geese
Rushy
14+ Snipe, 1 Redshank, 3 Spotted Redshank, 2 Pintail, 61 Teal, 36 Gadwall, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Shelduck, 6 Curlew (flyover), 18 Lapwing, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret, 1 Great Egret and 1 singing Cettis Warbler.
South Lake from Discovery hide
155 Black-Tailed Godwits, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Ruff, 28 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 1 Stonechat, Cettis Warbler singing, 16 Tufted Duck, 145 Shoveler, 57 Teal, 6 Pintail, 2 Pochard, 6 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Heron, 5 Cormorant, 104 Black Headed Gulls, 2 Herring, 2 Lesser Black Back Gulls
Tack Piece from Robbie Garnett Hide
120 Teal, 40 Wigeon, 9 Shoveler, 5 Curlew
Mid Point
26 Curlew, 21 Dunlin, 7 Lapwing, 3 Little Egret, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Greater Black-backed Gull, 8 Crane, 2 Reed Bunting, singles of Grey Heron and Stonechat
Top New Piece
178 Teal, 3 Shoveler, Cetti’s Warbler and Water Rail heard, 5 Ruff, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Lesser Black Back gull, 12 Lapwing, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Peregrine
Kingfisher Hide
7 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 1 Teal
Friday 16 October
Rushy
5 Spotted Redshanks, 45 Teal, 8 Snipe, 1 Ruff, 2 Redshank, 37 Gadwall, 1 Green Sandpiper, 15 Lapwing, 1 Shoveler, 2 Shelduck, Cetti’s Warbler and Kingfisher heard
Tack Piece
2 White-fronted Goose, 257 Teal, 35 Wigeon, 20 Shoveler, Water Rail and Cetti’s heard
Picture of White-fronted Geese by Dot Jones
Mid Point
664 Golden Plover, 2 Spotted Redshank, 3 Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Peregrine, 3 Roe Deer.
Estuary walkway
Hare, Fox, Raven
Long Ground Pool
1 Green Sandpiper, 9 Teal
Pillbox Pool
2 Shoveler, 2 Teal, 5 Greylag geese
Dumbles
1 Peregrine, 84 Canada Geese and 80 Greylag Geese, 171 Shelduck on the estuary
South Finger
Cettis Warbler, Water Rail
Top New Piece
Cettis, 13 Ruff, 157 Teal, 34 Lapwing and a loafing Great Black Back Gull
Bottom New Piece
Barnacle Geese flock with Ross’s goose. 15 Ruff on the new cut area
South Lake
202 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Pintail, 167 Teal, 77 Shoveler,5 Tufted and a Little Grebe
Thursday 15 October
Rushy
38 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 5 Pintail, 13 Tufted Duck, 91 Teal, 55 Mallard, Little Grebe, Great Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, 12 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Snipe, 4 Spotted Redshank, 15 Lapwing and a Ruff
Tack Piece
69 Wigeon, 262 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 4 Pintail, Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Curlew
Bottom New Piece
5 Greylag Geese, 11 Starling, 4 Cranes, Golden Plover, Lapwing and a Fox
Top New Piece
Marsh Harrier, Snipe, 14 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, 2 Little Stint, 13 Lapwing, 3 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, Cetti’s Warbler, 6 Mute Swan, 37 Teal and 2 Skylark
Middle Point
Leach's Petrel, Peregrine, 70 Lapwing, 6 Golden Plover, 30 Grey Plover, 96 Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, 20 Crane on the opposite side of the Severn, 4 Stonechat and a distant flock of c300 small waders
South Lake
Duck Marsh- 5 Teal, Shoveler, Little Grebe, 2 Canada Geese
Wader Scrape- 191 Black-tailed Godwit, 168 Teal, 9 Shoveler, 13 Gadwall
Deep Lake- 82 Shoveler, 6 Pintail, 19 Gadwall, Pochard, Tufted Duck, 9 Cormorant
Dumbles
Redwing, flocks of Linnet and 27 Chaffinch
Carpark
Cetti's Warbler and Chiff-chaff
Café
This morning a Greater Spotted Woodpecker was seen entering a hole in the cladding on the visitor centre! 30 Redwing also flew over
Wednesday 14 October
Rushy
21 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Redshank, 8 Spotted Redshank, 12 Snip, Ruff and a Great Egret
South Lake
19 Cattle Egret, 187 Black-tailed Godwit, 68 Shoveler, 27 Tufted Duck and half a dozen Pintail
Top New Piece
Marsh Harrier, 167 Teal, 5 Wigeon, 2 Green Sandpiper, Cetti's Warbler and a Snipe
Bottom New Piece
31 Ruff, 133 Lapwing and 22 Cranes on the Four score
Middle Point
4 Reed Bunting, 121 Shelduck, 79 Curlew, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Golden Plover, 3 Great Egret, 3 Grey Heron, Peregrine and a c100 flock of small waders at Saul Wharth
Dumbles
2 Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipit, Marsh Harrier, Chiffchaff, 15 Goldfinch, c100 mixed flock of Canada/Greylag Geese and 20 Linnet we're being pursued by a Sparrowhawk
Long Ground Pool
2 Green Sandpiper
Tack piece
21 Shoveler, 121 Teal, 43 Wigeon, Great Egret, Cetti’s warbler, Grey Heron and a Kingfisher perched on a Hazel stick in front of Martin Smith Hide
Tuesday 13 October
Tack Piece
1 Little Egret, 3 Mallard, 4 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 3 Moorhen, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Stoat
Monday 12 October
With high tides over the next few days Middle Point is a great place to see the Severn waders.
Dunlin with a Sanderling (pictured bottom left).
Middle Point
On the rising tide- 100+ Avocet, 400+ Dunlin, 32 Grey Plover, 8 Golden Plover, 4 Sanderling, 6 Ringed Plover, Knot, 70+ Curlew, 17 Wigeon, 184 Shelduck, 8 Little Egrets, Marsh Harriers and Peregrine flushing them + Skylarks and Meadow Pipits
Tack Piece
46 Wigeon among the 130 Teal (Water Rail at Robbie Garnett Hide yesterday).
Estuary Tower
Two Siskin SW, 2 Chiffchaff in the bushes.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Spotted Redshank, 3 Redshank, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, 13 Snipe, 2 Pintail, Little Grebe, Teal, Gadwall.
Top New Piece
Bittern flew from reeds below Zeiss Hide to South Finger Reedbed (also seen yesterday), Ruff, 140 Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper and Sanderling called in for ten minutes, adult and juvenile Little Stint, 29 Ringed Plover and c20 Dunlin remained on the mud, 6 Spotted Redshank, 3 Lapwing
South Lake
23 Pintail among the Teal and Shoveler, 180 Black-tailed Godwit and c40 Lapwing, 6 Pochard, Little Grebe.
Car Park
Two Redwing
