A gorgeous sunny Saturday

The weather is glorious today and the birds look great in the sunshine. Spring really is arriving and the last of our winter birds are getting ready to leave

The weather is glorious today and the birds look great in the sunshine. Spring really is arriving and the last of our winter birds are getting ready to leave. Small flocks of Wigeon remain on the Tack Piece, Top New Piece and around the Pillbox Pool totaling around 800 birds.

South Lake
An adult Mediterranean Gull was on the scrape but had left by mid-morning. The Avocet flock have increased slightly to 110 birds this morning, including colour-ringed bird red H9. Around 150 Black-tailed Godwit were present early morning but were joined by a large flock around 9am bringing the total to 782 birds. The arriving group also had 29 Knot with them. At least 35 Shoveler were across the area, a Great Crested Grebe and a Little Grebe were on the deep lake with a female Goldeneye, 40 Tufted Duck and 13 Pochard. A Kingfisher flew past the hide, and later in the morning three Little Egret dropped in and were then joined by a single Cattle Egret, before another four birds arrived shortly after.

A flock of 12 Cattle Egret were seen in the fields near Slimbridge village close to the Severn Trent pumping station. Closer to the reserve in the roadside fields between the site and the canal were the long-staying Glossy Ibis and a Wheatear, our first of the year!

Grounds
The Black Swan has now relocated to the Big Pen with Mute Swan herd, but look amongst them for three Pintail and 61 Tufted Duck. In the Eider Pen exhibit were a wild drake Pochard and the wild drake Goldeneye, the latter displaying to the captive birds. Further up the Grounds a Cetti's Warbler was singing near the Back from the Brink exhibit.

Knott Hide
A flock of 138 Wigeon were roosting around the shoreline enjoying the sunshine and a Little Grebe was on the Pillbox Pool.

Kingfisher Hide
A Little Egret was on the Bottom New Piece this morning. Singing birds in the area included a Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff. A touch of winter remains with three Redwing with a small Starling flock on the Four Score field.

Estuary Tower
The White-fronted Geese were split into two flocks this morning with 133 birds on the Dumbles plus the two Pink-footed Geese. The second flock were on the Tack Piece and contained 45 birds. There may be others further south in some of the inland fields out of view as eight birds did arrive from that direction. Also on the Dumbles were three Cranes, 39 Barnacle Geese and seven Curlew. Out on the mudflats were 204 Shelduck and 21 Curlew. Other birds on the Tack Piece included 144 Barnacle Geese, the three Snow Geese roosting on the shoreline, 380 Wigeon grazing across the area, seven Curlew, two Pintail and 24 Shoveler.

Decoy Hide
A few duck on the pond this morning included 20 Tufted Duck, four Shoveler and four Shelduck.

Zeiss Hide
Two Little Stint were with a small Dunlin flock mid-morning along with two Ruff and three Redshank. A Little Egret was also noted.

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