Image- Cattle Egret from Discovery Hide
Upcoming Events
Dragonfly Festival - 18 July - 3 Sept
4x4 Photo Safari - Wednesday 16 September
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.
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. 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 to keep the place operational. It also allows us to keep views open to our scrapes and lakes following the breeding season.
Monday 24 August
Estuary Tower
Four juvenile Turnstone, adult Grey Plover and 10 Little Egret on the Severn, Green Sandpiper and 4 Cattle Egret in the Long Ground Pool (two pictured from 23 August).
Middle Point
At least 3 Stonechat in the reedbeds. 14 Turnstone on the Severn + 200 distant small waders- Ringed Plover and Dunlin.
South Lake
Three adult Ruff, c100 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 8 Lapwing, Cattle Egret, c70 Teal (Garganey also here yesterday) 4 Common, 10 Black-headed and 9 Herring Gulls.
Rushy Hide
Six Spotted Redshank (including a juvenile), 15 Ruff (3 juvenile), 2 juvenile Greenshank, 3 Redshank, 18 Lapwing, Little Egret, flocks of Teal and Gadwall.
Tack Piece
Six adult Golden Plover, 12 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, 3 juvenile Little-ringed Plover, 7 juvenile Ruff, 3 Redshank, 2 Snipe, 3 Yellow and 21 Pied Wagtail, Kestrel chasing a Sparrowhawk who was chasing the wagtails, 30+ Teal and 5 Shoveler.
Top New Piece
Spoonbill, 10 Avocet, 15 Lapwing, 4 juvenile Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Egyptian Geese, Ross's and Snow x Bar-headed Geese with 99 strong Barnacle Goose flock, 14 Pied Wagtail, 100 Teal, 6 Shoveler, Meadow Pipit, 3 Grey Heron.
