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Today's sightings- Ouzel and Whooper

A Whooper Swan at Slimbridge taken by James Lees
A Whooper Swan at Slimbridge taken by James Lees

Zeiss Hide

A Ring Ouzel has been present during this misty morning, it favours the hedge in the SW corner of the field/marsh. It has been ranging from the Top New Piece to the Bottom New Piece but staying within a 50ft section. There are plenty of hawthorn berries available which it is eating every so often but it can drop into cover or the ground for periods. Last official record was in 1991 but there is another more recent sighting for which we do not have the date.

Bittern- showing again in the reeds from the hide.

A single Greenshank (favours Bottom New Piece so may be seen from Kingfisher hide)  a few Snipe and Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwits roosting. Duck numbers are impressive as they increase, 400 Wigeon and 1000 Teal are joined by smaller numbers of Shelduck, Gadwall, Shoveler and Pochard. At least 4 territorial fighting Cetti's Warbler and a calling Water Rail also present.

Holden Tower

23 E. White-fronted Geese on the Tack Piece,

On the Dumbles- 6 GCP Cranes, 200 Golden Plover, 2 Little Stint among 220 Dunlin, single Ruff, 180+ Barnacle Geese, 70 Canada and 250 Greylag Geese. 2 Buzzard were along the seawall.

Big Pen

The wild yearling Bewick's Swan has been joined by an adult Whooper Swan, they are both among the collection swans.

Tack Piece

Teal 400 and Wigeon 200.

South Lake

2 Ruddy Shelduck, Kingfisher, Snipe, Little and Great Crested Grebe, 80 Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, 110 Teal, 18 Black-tailed Godwit and Black-headed, Herring and LBB Gulls.

General

Fieldfare, Redwing, Siskins, Reed Bunting and Skylark are moving about and over the site.

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