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.
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
