Image- juvenile Ruff, Rushy Hide, MJM.
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, 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.
Bank Holiday Monday 31 August
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Now nine Spotted Redshank (three juvenile and 6 non-breeding plumage), 5 Redshank, 8 Ruff, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, 10 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Grebe, flocks of Teal and Gadwall.
Tack Piece
Two Golden Plover, Wheatear and Skylark on the field + Greylags. 5 Black-tailed Godwit among the Teal on the scrape (filled up with the rain).
Martin Smith Hide
Two Wigeon and 22 Gadwall.
Pillbox Pool from Knott Hide
Green Sandpiper and 7 Teal.
Estuary Tower
Peregrine on the saltmarsh, 19+ Yellow Wagtails among the cattle, Wheatear and 3 Whinchats around the dry scrape flitting between thistles and grass, Reed Warbler and 5 Chiffchaff in the copse.
Long Ground Pool
Green Sandpiper.
Top New Piece
Spoonbill, 8 Ruff, 38 Black-tailed Godwit including the yellow L darvic ring bird, haven't seen the other leg, it's always asleep on the same leg! Also 2 Snipe, Green and Common Sandpiper, Pintail among the Shoveler and Teal, Little Grebe, a few Reed Warblers.
Spinney Wood
20+ Chiffchaff and 4 Blackcap among the tit flock feeding on the edge of the wood.
