Missing the warmer weather already? Reminisce over the summer's wildlife highs (and lows) with the help of Reserve Manager Martin McGill.
The multiple heatwaves and prolonged hot, rainless (but for one or two evenings) days made things tricky for managing water levels at Slimbridge over the summer. A constant effort to use every drop wisely enabled us to at least keep the main areas wet, resulting in great conditions for our returning and passage waders.
Grasshopper warblers were on territory through the summer, and a corn bunting was heard across the reserve from 17 June to 10 August. In exciting news, bitterns bred here again (with at least two fledged young), as well as barn owls (again with two fledged chicks), marsh harriers, and avocets (who fledged at least 10 young). But it was a particularly poor season for lapwing and redshank.
The cranes have loved Slimbridge this year, with over 20 present throughout the summer including lots of un-ringed younger birds and four breeding pairs. At least four birds went through the wing moult and were flightless for many weeks over the summer, and we’ve seen three fledged young.
From August, a few whinchats and wheatears joined the stonechats on the fencelines, with lots of juvenile whitethroat, lesser whitethroat and willow warbler dropping in, too, during late July and August. We were also treated to the vibrant sight of a flock of more than 50 yellow wagtails, following our herd of cattle.
Summer wader passage did not disappoint, with over 300 ringed plover recorded in August, along with ruff, spotted redshank, greenshank, juvenile wood sandpipers, grey and golden plover, little-ringed plover, whimbrel, turnstones, knot and bar-tailed godwit, and little stint.
