World Wetlands Day 2 February 2022
It's looking like another good day to watch wetland birds on the reserve.
So far today we've noted the following
South Lake
Four Avocet, 4 Oystercatcher (7 on site now), 800 Lapwing, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 29 Shoveler, 70 Teal, 600+ Lapwing, 35 Pochard, 50 Dunlin, 4 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, 10 Common Gull.
Martin Smith Pool
21 Snipe.
Estuary Tower
Sparrowhawk on Tack Piece fence, Little Stint flew past towards river, 223 Barnacle Geese on Dumbles with 3 Snow Geese and Ross's Goose. Only 12 Curlew in riverbank roost with Oystercatcher, 8 Great Black-backed Gulls and 65 Shelduck. Duck on the Long Ground Pool included 5 Pochard, 32 Shoveler, single Wigeon, 56 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall. Pair of Water Rail calling from Pillbox Pool.
Rushy Hide/Peng Observatory
Avocet, 2 Oystercatcher, 114 Pochard, 70+ Pintail, 95 Bewick's Swans and 21 Snipe on the West shore of lower pond.
Grounds
Oystercatcher in the Big Pen.
Zeiss Hide
Marsh Harrier, 1000+ Wigeon, 200+ Lapwing, 3 Ruff, Oystercatcher, 2 Water Rail, 50 Dunlin, 3 Cranes.
Kingfisher Hide
500+ Dunlin, 12 Ruff, 200+ Golden Plover, 300+ Lapwing, 8 White-fronted Geese, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Little Egret, 300+ Canada Geese.
Shepherd's Patch
At least 9 Little Egret in field over canal near Tudor Arms pub. Also at least 5 Cattle Egret in fields next to Slimbridge village near pumping station.
Tack Piece
At least 181 White-fronted Geese flushed from north fields this morning with 144 settling on Tack Piece, including 2 Greenland race birds before moving off again, they returned after an aircraft flush with three Pink-footed Geese at 10:30 am.
Martin Smith Hide
22 Wigeon close to hide with hundreds more on Tack Piece. Already thousands of Lapwing and Golden Plover on field plus Dunlin flock, 38 Shoveler, hundreds or Teal and 22 Curlew
Highlights from yesterday 1 February 2022
Estuary Tower
The Glossy Ibis roosted on Long Ground with a Great White Egret and 3 Little Egrets,the ibis returned by 5pm, it fed in the canalside fields.
185 Curlew were in the high tide roost.
Tack Piece
Forty Shoveler, 340 Wigeon, 480 Dunlin, 420 Lapwing, 2 Ruff, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 700 Golden Plover. The Russian WHite-fronted Geese visited here over lunchtime, the three Snow Geese were also present.
South Lake
Two Avocet, Green Woodpecker, 6 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 6 Shoveler, 7 Cormorant.
Rushy
Avocet, Oystercatcher, 90+ Bewick's Swans Martin Smith Hide- 20 Snipe.
Bottom New Piece
Rising water levels on the far flood attracting lots of birds, 230 Wigeon, 70 Teal, 12 Pintail, 350 Dunlin, 320 Lapwing, 8 Ruff, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, Snipe + Barnacle Geese + Ross's Goose + a male Goshawk flew low to the willows S of Kingfisher Hide, this bird was seen in the area throughout the morning and early afternoon.
Top New Piece
Three Pink-footed Geese (1 juvenile) on the flood, they were very mobile all day also noted on the Tack Piece, Ox Piece and Bottom New Piece. Two Crane, 2 Great Black-Backed Gull, 2 Crane, Great White Egret, Grey Heron, 800 Wigeon including the leucistic female, 400 Lapwing, 17 Pintail, 2 Shoveler, a Snipe.
