Image- Blue Tit
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.
Sunday 23 August
Middle Point
33 Sand Martin, Stonechats and Yellow Wagtails on the fences. Great and 10 Little Egret on the Severn.
Rushy Hide
Adult and juvenile Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank, 13 Ruff including a juvenile, Garganey among the Teal, Cattle, Great and Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe, 30 Gadwall.
Tack Piece
Four adult non-breeding plumage Spotted Redshank, 4 Redshank, 3 Moorhen, 12 Lapwing, 8 Pied Wagtail, 32 Teal, Grey Heron.
Martin Smith Hide
Garganey, Green Sandpiper, 4 Teal, Sedge Warbler.
Top New Piece
Spoonbill, at least one (probably 2) Wood Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 5 Little-ringed Plover, 5 juvenile Ruff, Garganey on island, 176 Teal, 4 Snipe, Avocet, 3 G Heron, 2 Dunlin, Water Rail, 32 Lapwing Inc part/leucistic bird, 81 Greylag.
Estuary Tower
Peregrine on Dumbles foreshore, 2 Cattle Egret and a few Yellow Wagtails with cattle (former previously in Long Ground Pool), Fox, Green Sandpiper on Pill Box Pool with a few Teal.
South Lake
Garganey, Spotted Redshank (7th individual on site today), 3 Ruff (and and 2 juvenile), 130+ Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 3 Cattle Egret, 15 Lapwing, flocks of Sand Martins, Coot, Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal.
Saturday 22 August
South Lake
40+ Gadwall, 60+ Teal, 20+ Tufted Duck, 40+ Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Cormorant, 2 Cattle Egret, 2 Lapwing, singles of Ruff, Shoveler, Grey Heron, Little Grebe, Green Sandpiper and Common Gull
Dumbles
Ross’s Goose in Barnacle flock, 11 Cranes, singles of Kestrel and Green Sandpiper
Rushy hide
148 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 12 Ruff, 5 Redshank, 18 Lapwing, 1 Great Egret, 1 Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Pochard, 2 Heron, 2 Cormorant and lots of House Martins.
Mid Point
29 Curlew, 4 Little Egret, 15 Shelduck, singles of Lesser Black-backed Gull, Cormorant plus small Linnet flock and 3 Roe Deer
Tack Piece
27 Teal, 1 Redshank, 10 Lapwing, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 7 Pied Wagtail, 4 Meadow Pipit
Martin Smith Hide
2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Shoveler, singles of Wigeon, Grey Heron, Garganey
Top New Piece
1 Spoonbill, 60 Lapwing, 88 Barnacles plus Ross’s and hybrid, 1 Avocet, 6 Ruff, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 149 Teal, 1 Common Sandpiper, 95 Greylags, 10 Canadas, 8 Pied Wagtails, 3 Egyptian geese, 4 Gadwall, 1 Grey Heron and a few Swallows feeding
South Finger Walkway
1 of 2 Willow Warblers around singing this morning, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Chiffchaff heard calling, 9 Goldfinch flew from Willow tree
Friday 21 August
Rushy
2 Greenshank, 4 Spotted Redshank, 17 Lapwing, 3 Redshank, 10 Ruff, mix of ducks and geese on top pond
Tack Piece
33 Teal, 3 Shoveler
Pillbox Pool
5 Teal
Dumbles
Peregrine on a post, Kestrel harassing it, 11 Barnacle geese, lots of Swallows feeding.
South Finger
4/5 Chiffchaff in the Reed beds
Kingfisher Hide
Flock of Barnacle and Greylag on Bottom New Piece. Good numbers of hirundines among the cattle
Top New Piece
8 Redshank, 4 Snipe, singles of Avocet , Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper, 3 Black-Tailed Godwit ,4 Ruff, 2 Juvenile Wood Sandpiper, Spoonbill, Water Rail and Reed Warbler, 150 Sand Martin over scrape
South Lake
153 Black-Tailed Godwit and 2 Ruff the only wader species. Little Grebe and 50c Tufted Duck on deep lake. Large flocks of coot and moulting Gadwall make up for most of the rest. At the entrance to Hogarth hide numbers of Chiffchaff feeding is quite noticeable. Good numbers moving through the reserve generally. Also Whitethroat here as well
Thursday 20 August
Morning Safari
3 Buzzard, Kestrel, Stonechat, 4 Cranes, Roe Deer, Southern Migrant
Middle Point
29 Curlew, 3 Little Egret and a Great Egret
Dumbles
2 Crane
Pill Box Pool
Green Sandpiper
Martin Smith pool
Little Egret and a Yellow Wagtail
Tack Piece
30 Teal and a Common Snipe
Car Park
Hobby
Rushy Hide
Gadwall 39, Pochard, Little Egret, Tufted Duck 4, Little Grebe 2, Grey Heron, Redshank 5, Spotted Redshank 4, Greenshank, Lapwing 29, Black-tailed Godwit 15, Shoveler 7, Teal 21 and a Kingfisher
South lake
2 Grey Heron, 131 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Lapwing, 18 Coot, 63 Gadwall, 20 Shoveler, 43 Tufted Duck and 2 Pochard
Top New Piece
37 Lapwing, 12 Gadwall, 2 Mute swans, 66 Greylag Geese, 4 Canada Geese, 3 Egyptian Geese, Bittern, Spoonbill, Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, Avocet, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Wood Sandpiper, Pied wagtail, c100 House Martin, 20 Sand Martin, and 8 Swallows
South Finger Extension
Grey Heron and 2 Gadwall
Bottom New Piece
Bar-headed Goose, Ross’s Goose, 82 Barnacle Geese, 2 Greylag Geese, Buzzard and some fantastic numbers of House Martins
Wednesday 19 August
Top New Piece
Spoonbill, Spotted Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, Avocet, 179 Teal, 24 Lapwing, 74 Barnacle Geese, Ross's Goose and a multitude of Sand Martin, House Martin and Swallows
South Lake
140 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Spotted Redshank, 9 Ruff, Green sandpiper, 64 Gadwall, 25 Shoveler and 52 Tufted duck
Rushy
4 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 7 Ruff, 32 Lapwing, Great White Egret and a Little Grebe
South Finger Extension
Kingfisher, Peregrine Falcon, Buzzard and 8 Gadwall
Bottom New Piece
36 Lapwing
Tuesday 18 August
*Please note that a seasonal habitat work party will be on the Tack Piece around the Martin Smith Hide today, with further work in the Withy Bed, if time allows the Willow and Knott Hides later*
Rushy Hide
Four Spotted Redshank, 5 Redshank, 5 Ruff (some began leaving for South Lake), 3 Little Grebe, 40 Gadwall.
Tack Piece
Three Green Sandpiper, 3 Redshank, 18 Teal, 5 Shoveler, Grey Heron.
Pill Box Pool
Green Sandpiper, 5 Teal.
Top New Piece
Spoonbill, Spotted Redshank, 7 Lapwing, Snipe, c60 Teal.
South Lake
164 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Ruff, 3 Common, 2 LBB and 10 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Little Grebe and the feeding/moulting flock of Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Mallard.
Middle Point
Juvenile Whinchat. On the Severn were five Common Terns, a Turnstone with 2 Ringed Plover to the south, a Knot with the large flock of Ringed Plover and Dunlin to the north
Monday 17 August
Estuary Tower
Four Lesser and 1 Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler in sub-song, 2 Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler in the copse, a few Yellow Wagtails and Linnets on the Dumbles + 21 Curlew, 24 Little and Great Egret with Black-tailed Godwit and Lapwing on Long Ground Pool. Hobby on the cross fence between Dumbles and Lower Dumbles.
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Tack Piece
Four Reed Warbler below Stephen Kirk Hide, 3 Green Sandpiper and 2 Black-tailed Godwit on the scrape with 30 Teal, Great Egret and Grey Heron, 8 Pied Wagtail.
Willow Hide
Reed Warbler feeding well grown juveniles.
Rushy Hide
Five adult Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 6 Redshank, 8 Ruff, c100 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Lapwing, 3 Little Grebe, 40 Gadwall, Great and Little Egret.
Martin Smith Hide
Kingfisher on the fence again.
Top New Piece
Pre- high tide- Spoonbill, Avocet, 16 Lapwing, Snipe, 2 juvenile Little-ringed Plover, c80 Teal, 2 Little Grebe. Over high tide-150 Dunlin, 150 Ringed Plover, 15 Avocet, 3 Golden Plover, Little Stint, 2 Sanderling and the Wood Sandpiper were present.
Bottom New Piece
600 Starling
South Lake
Four Common and 9 Black-headed Gulls, 14 Lapwing, 2 Little Grebe, c50 Gadwall, c40 Teal.
