Last brood of Avocet departed?
No sign of the final family
With no sightings or reports of any Avocets over the weekend, it seems our late and last family have departed the reserve. They were hatched and reared on the Top New Piece, this hardy family survived such extremes from the nest being flooded during days of torrential rain to extremely low water levels due to a damaged pump and a heatwave, despite the efforts of the lone parent, one of the the brood of four was lost. However we managed to restore levels and the final three successfully fledged and moved to the Severn where they have spent the last few weeks feeding in low tide pools. They were last seen with one of the parents and two other adult Avocet off Middle Point, a report of six further down the estuary may have been this group. We fully expect to see passage Avocets during the autumn with occasional pre-Christmas visits to the scrapes. In the New Year they can turn up for short or more prolonged visits depending on the weather. Image shows two of the juveniles with three of the adults.
Other highlights from around the reserve today (mostly from morning round) include the following.
Sightings and news also posted on our Twitter account at https://twitter.com/slimbridge_wild
Top New Piece
Two Curlew Sandpiper came in with 35+ Dunlin, during the morning round over 500 Teal were joined by 4 Pintail, 3 Wigeon and smaller flocks of Gadwall and Shoveler. Hobby and Kestrel seen briefly.
South Lake
The juvenile Spotted Redshank was present again as well as15 Ruff on wader scrape with another four from Hogarth Hide with a Green Sandpiper, 16 Redshank, 182 Black-tailed Godwit, 25 Tufted Duck, 5 Cormorant and flocks of Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall and Greylag.
Car Park area early morning
Great White Egret and Raven over N, 2 Egyptian Geese left the Rushy.
Middle Point
At least 151 Shelduck and 130+ Curlew on the mudflats, 11 and 2 Dunlin past S with a juvenile Ruff and a flock of 113 were counted with a Curlew Sandpiper and a few Ringed Plover, 520 Black-headed Gull + scattered groups of Herring, LBBG and GBB Gulls. A few Yellow Wagtail over South.
Kingfisher seen in the trees along the Goose House ditch.
Duck Decoy
At least 2 Mandarin with Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, Coot and a pair of Mute Swan.
Kingfisher Hide
Siskin in the Alder trees.
Top New Piece- 500+ Teal + 4 Pintail, 3 Wigeon, 30+ Shoveler and 25+ Gadwall.
Rushy Hide
18 Black-tailed Godwit, 40+ Teal, Wigeon and 10 Lapwing.
Tack Piece
A few Teal and Gadwall on the scrape+ Greylag flock on the field, Snipe from Martin Smith Hide.
Knott Hide
Blackcap and Chiffchaff in the hedge, three Shoveler, single Little Egret and a few Gadwall on the 'Pill Box Pool'.
The Dumbles
Wheatear on Southern cross fence with two at Middle Point.
Northern fields
Female Marsh Harrier and three Hobby.
