Latest sightings
A little Rain at last and levels coming up.
One of at least 15 Ruff on site today all in a bewildering range of plumage's. Rushy Green Sandpiper 10 Black Tailed Godwit 5 Redshank 5 Avocet 11 Tufted Duck 11 juveniles Shelduck 12 juvs Gadwall 22 Heron 1 Grey Wagtail 1 Holden Walkway Hides Green Sand
28 July 2018
Summer plumage Curlew Sand and Knott
Rushy Common Sanpiper 1 Green Sandpiper 2 Avocet 5 ad 1 juv. Shelduck creche at least 13 Tufted Duck brood 3 Oystecatcher 1 Lapwing 1 Crane family watch out for activity in tall vegetation at back of pond. Holden Tower and walkway. Yellow Wagtail 1 with c
27 July 2018
Curlew Sandpiper
Rushy 2 Oystercatcher 8 Avocet 1 Lapwing 2 Green Sandpiper 2 Common Sandpiper 6 Black-tailed Godwit Shelduck with large Brood 2 Crane with chick Tack Piece 11 Lapwing 2 Green Sandpiper in the channel 16 Yellow Wagtail feeding among the cattle Holden Towe
26 July 2018
Lesser Emperor- a reserve first.
Late in the day yesterday a male Lesser Emperor dragonfly was discovered on the pool outside the Martin Smith Hide, this is the first record for the reserve and is a rare insect in Gloucestershire and the UK. South Lake Two male Ruff, 23 Redshank, 81 Bla
23 July 2018
Sunday sightings
Rushy Hide An adult Little ringed Plover on the top pond islands but sometimes hidden. A few Avocet families plus Redshank and many duck broods. The Crane family are still doing well. Tack Piece 60+ Lapwing, 5 Green and one Common Sandpiper Knott Hide Re
22 July 2018
Saturday 21st July
Great views of Reed Warblers from many of the hides today especially Zeiss and Knott Hides Rushy Avocet 4ad broods of 3 & 1. Shelduck 28 Gadwall 7 Tufted Duck brood of 5 Holden and Walkway Black Tailed Godwit 100
21 July 2018
Friday 20th July
Rushy Avocet 2 ad and broods of 3,2 and 3 fledged young. Green Sandpiper 1 Shelduck 22 young Lapwing 2 Tufted broods 3, 2 and 2 Oystercatcher 1 Holden Tower and Walkway Avocet 1 Green Sandpiper 2 Lapwing 7 Peregrine 1 Buzzard 1 Reed Warblers especially fr
20 July 2018
Great Whites
Great White Egrets Although two have summered on the reserve an extra arrival of this large white heron species is rather obvious today, dispersal from breeding areas has become 'normal' in France and the UK in July. At least four present today and touri
18 July 2018
A cooler day
Male Ruff on the South Lake We may now have eleven males and the adult reeve on site. Rushy Hide One of the Avocet families (family of 4) has moved out to the estuary but the other five families remain. Tufted Duck broods are easy to see on the top pond
17 July 2018
WeBS count (Wetland Bird Survey) and other sightings
Shelduck productivity is looking good. At least 83 fledged or older fluffy young have ben counted, it's more likely to be over 100 young on the reserve this season. The Rushy Pen flock is very impressive, a single pair are looking after 31 ducklings from
16 July 2018
Sightings 14th July
Rushy Avocet 8ad 5 fledged young and broods 3,2 and 1. Oystercatcher 4 Shelduck large creche of 23 Tufted Duck broods of 3,2,2,2. Pied Wagtail feeding young. Holden and Walkway Green Sandpiper 8 Little Egret 1 Lapwing 4 Avocet 2 Curlew 102 on high tide ro
14 July 2018
High Tide = more Dunlin
South Lake Oystercatchers 2 Avocet 2 Lapwing 11ad 1 juv Tufted Duck Brood 1 Great Crested Grebe 2 ad 1 juv Zeiss Hide Crane both adults well grown young. Ruff 6 all males in summer plumage Redshank 37 ad and 2 juvs Black Tailed Godwit 173 Avocet 54 Dun
13 July 2018
Today's sightings
The warm dry weather continues and some of our pools and scrapes are really struggling as we're unable to maintain levels much higher without some inflow. Sadly the South Lake, Tack Piece and Pillbox Pool are drying but the scrape on the Top New Piece f
11 July 2018
Struggling for water
Above- Kingfisher and Green Sandpipers. We are going to dig a connecting channel from the Tack Piece scrape to the pipe that feeds the Pill Box Pool today in an attempt to prevent it from drying up. It may not work. Some disturbance in front of the Robb
10 July 2018
Heatwave Sunday
Typical view of the juvenile Cuckoo (MJM). Willow Hide The Cuckoo (above) continues to be fed by Reed Warblers hosts. Tack Piece 5 Teal, Shelduck brood, 15 Lapwing and 2 Green Sandpiper. Pill Box Pool Little Egret and 7 Green Sandpiper. Holden Tower Cran
8 July 2018