Sightings - Slimbridge

American visitor

American visitor

A drake Green-winged Teal was on the Top New Piece this morning from the Zeiss Hide.  This North American duck is a regular visitor to the UK and for a period was nearly an annual occurence at Slimbridge, but we've had a few years now without a record. 

30 November 2018

Wild weather

Wild weather

It has been pretty windy this morning with periods of heavy rain too.  The rain over the last few days has turned the Top New Piece into a haven for all manner of waders and wildfowl with big numbers of birds spread across the whole area making counting

29 November 2018

Today's sightings

Today's sightings

Zeiss Hide Slightly quieter than the last couple of days, but hunting Peregrines and a Merlin are causing the birds to move around between the reserve more.  Birds included 6 Snipe, 79 Lapwing, 504 Teal, 300+ Wigeon, 46 Pintail, 50+ Dunlin, 57 Shoveler a

27 November 2018

Sightings + news concerning South Lake work schedule

Sightings + news concerning South Lake work schedule

Top New Piece from Zeiss Hide 28 Pintail, 5 Pochard, calling Cetti's Warbler, 360 Dunlin, 90 Golden Plover, 340 Wigeon, 220 Teal and 34 Snipe on the islands to the N end. Bottom New Piece from Zeiss Hide 58 E. White-fronted Geese came in to drink after be

25 November 2018

Saturday 24th November Sightings

Saturday 24th November Sightings

Zeiss Hide Bewicks Swan 18 from Kingfisher hide. Whitefronted Goose 37 Barnacle Goose 231 Wigeon 314 Pochard 11 Golden Plover 115 Lapwing 1140 Dunlin 486 Ruff 9 Snipe 18 GBB Gull 48 a high count for this area. Holden Tower Peregrine 2 on cross fence, 3 B

24 November 2018

It's a cold one

It's a cold one

With the mercury dipping below freezing overnight it wasn't a surprise to find many of the shallow water bodies at least partly frozen this morning.  This pushes the duck into tight groups or to other deeper water, and can push waders off the reserve to

22 November 2018

A few more swans

A few more swans

Bewick's Swans increased again this morning with 58 birds now on the Rushy, but still just our two family groups - a brood of three with parents Dario and Bridges, and a single cygnet with parents Stephen and Shelby. Robbie Garnett Hide Amongst the severa

21 November 2018

Now 48 Bewick's Swans

Now 48 Bewick's Swans

The Bewick's Swan flock has increased to 48 with more arrivals overnight. The single bird Indri remains on the Big Pen with the rest of the flock spending their time between the Tack Piece and Rushy Pen. A second family has turned up, pair with one cygnet

20 November 2018

Swan fall

Swan fall

Rushy Hide A chorus of Bewick's Swan calls could be clearly heard from the car park at 0730, at last the clear night and favourable winds saw our first swan fall of the winter season. 21 Bewick's Swans (three juveniles) were present on the lake with a f

18 November 2018

Novemeber 17th Sightings

Novemeber 17th Sightings

Zeiss Hide Wigeon 496 Pintail 28 Teal 337 Shoveler 4 Pochard 7 Lapwing 300 Dunlin  118 Ruff 11 Black tailed Godwit 18 Snipe 23 Curlew 1 Grey Heron 1 Rushy Still only one Bewick on Swan Lake with the 10 captive birds. Pintail 41 Teal 43 Pochard 40 (Male F

17 November 2018

16th November Sightings

16th November Sightings

Zeiss Hide Ruff 7 Lapwing 300 Dunlin 8 Glolden Plover 1 Teal 322 Wigeon 867 Blackwit 39 Pintail 61 Snipe 10 Dumbles White Fronts 11 Barnacle Geese 217 Peregrine 1 Crane 1 (Kia) Tack Piece White Fronts 21 Curlew 1 Redshank 12 Lapwing 1000+ South Lake Po

16 November 2018

Another mild day

Another mild day

Holden Tower The European White-fronted Goose flock has increased to 32. Two Peregrine were also present on the foreshore fence. South Finger Filtration beds The sunny and still morning has encouraged passerines to show well. A Chiffchaff was touring the

15 November 2018

Great White Egret.

Great White Egret.

Rushy Starting to look busy here, a whopping 360 Tufted Duck, Pochard 68, Pintail 38, Teal 44 and single Redshank and Snipe. Watch out for Little Grebe on the top ppond and a Great White Egret has been coming in for a period around 15.00 over the past fe

14 November 2018

Today's sightings

Today's sightings

South Lake Great Crested Grebe (pictured) + Pochard, Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Shoveler, Teal, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Snipe (Hogarth Hide end). Rushy Hide 64 male and 14 female Pochard among 250+ Tufted Duck, 50 Pintail, 90 Shelduck an

13 November 2018

WeBS and a good day for herons

WeBS and a good day for herons

The monthly WeBS count was carried out today, across the site the totals were 14 Little Grebe  and 1 Great Crested Grebe (South Lake), 14 Cormorant (South Lake held 10), 6 Grey Heron, 1 Bittern (from Zeiss Hide at midday), 1 Cattle Egret (in the Rushy un

12 November 2018