It's warmer, honest!
The temperature has warmed up a couple of degrees from the last few days and much of the reserve is now free of ice, apart from a few sheltered waterbodies which still have a slight covering. The birds have responded by moving back in with a great selection showing well from the hides.
Yesterday was another cracking day for Bittern sightings, with 3 individuals reports from the South Finger. Check out the latest sightings updates and photos on our Twitter feed here - https://twitter.com/slimbridge_wild
Rushy Hide & Peng Observatory
A few Bewick's Swans had already headed out to feed this morning, so only 140 individuals were counted on the Rushy along with 134 Shelduck and 138 Pintail. The Little Stint was also present.
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Holden Tower
A very quiet Dumbles with even the Barnacle Geese having left to the Top New Piece. Perhaps the foxes have been busy and unsettled the birds. Eight Curlew were visible on the edge of the river as the tide receded. A few birds were on the Long Ground Pool including 8 Shelduck, 2 Pochard and 8 Shoveler. Around 200 Wigeon were back on the Knott Pool, showing well from tower.
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Zeiss Hide
The scrape on the Top New Piece is thawing out with 107 Pintail present amongst the Teal and a few Wigeon. Twenty Ruff were mixed in with the Lapwing and Dunlin, and a few Snipe are feeding in the damper parts of the field. A carpet of around 2000+ Wigeon are back in front of the Van de Bovenkamp Hide.
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South Lake Hides
The deep lake was surprisingly empty first thing with only 31 Pochard, 22 Shoveler and the Great Crested Grebe present amongst the Mallard and Black-headed Gull. Seven Cormorants were roosting on the rails and islands. On the scrape were around 80 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher and a group of Teal and Mallard with 8 Shelduck.
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Kingfisher Hide
The flock of 160 White-fronted Geese were feeding in the Four Score, the arable field to the left of the Kingfisher bank. On the pond were the usual 2 Little Grebe, 4 Gadwall and a pair of Shoveler.
