Latest sightings
Sunday birding
A great sunny start to the morning with lots of bird action too. There seems to have been a small arrival of Reed Warbler with several new in singing males around, especially in the South Finger reedbed - listen out for them on your walk to the Kingfish
22 April 2018
A not so glossy ibis
A very thick mist covered the valley this morning and reduced visibility to a few metres and reduced counts from the hides. By lunchtime the reserve was once again bathed in sunshine, and the Glossy Ibis seen yesterday reappeared in front of the Zeiss H
20 April 2018
Birds and the butterflies
It's been another lovely sunny day with temperatures reaching the mid 20s. Along with bird activity, butterflies have been very notable today with a range of species seen including Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Brimstone, Green-veined White, Holly Blue,
19 April 2018
Sunshine birding
The weather forecast has seemingly got it right as we're bathed in glorious sunshine and 20oC+ temperatures. The sun broke through the clouds this morning in time for the high tide, peaking today around 10:30am at just over 9m. A Curlew roost of aroun
18 April 2018
Little Terns and another Sandwich Tern
Holden Tower Two Bar-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel, 8 Curlew, 7 Ringed Plover and a Redshank over the high tide, a Sandwich Tern flew downriver. 60 Avocet on the scrape with 4 Oystercatcher and a pair of Teal. 14 Great Black-backed Gull roosted with 10 Canad
17 April 2018
Nesting Mediterranean Gulls, a reserve first.
Rushy Hide The pair of Oystercatcher, a few pairs of Teal and Avocet and the female Wigeon (with hybrid male partner) among the highlights. A pair of Lapwing are also on territory here. One Redshank feeding on the islands. Tack Piece The water levels are
16 April 2018
WeBS count
It was the monthly Wetland Bird Survey count day, the following numbers were counted. Little Grebe 24 Great Crested Grebe 5 Cormorant 8 Little Egret 2 Grey Heron 9 Mute Swan 122 Greylag Goose 76 + broods 2, 5, 5 Canada Goose 17 Shelduck 258 Wigeon 21 Gadw
15 April 2018
Lovely spring morning
Tack Piece Tack PieceWater levels dropping slowly but still a good selection of duck. Shelducks prospecting everywhere, Wigeon still 32 about 18 Teal the last pair of Pintail and 29 Shoveler. The Slimbridge bred crane was here and 3 others were in the Rus
14 April 2018
A warbler day
The hedgerows are full of warblers this morning, so looks like we've had a bit of an arrival overnight. The South Finger Walkway down to the Kingfisher Hide was alive with Willow Warblers - loads of them! A few Blackcap and Chiffchaff were also presen
13 April 2018
Murky Thursday
The weather has been rather miserable for a few days now, but at least today looks as though it'll stay dry is just grey and overcast. University of Bristol joined us for a dawn chorus walk this morning with several species singing despite the murk. T
12 April 2018
Sandwich Tern again
Migrants Plenty of Swallows over the pools and scrapes today, a few Sand Martin with them. A Sandwich Tern over the Severn at 0845am kept the near daily run of sightings going. A Reed Warbler was singing near the Holden Tower, Sedge Warblers were singing
10 April 2018
Seaducks
Migrants A party of four Red-breasted Mergansers on the Severn were a welcome treat, although distant from the Holden Tower in the murk two pairs of these 'sawbills' spent the morning to early afternoon on the main channel, the males were even displaying.
8 April 2018
Gulltastic
South Lake Alive with Gulls here this morning, over 600 BH Gulls many actively engaged in displays and nest building. A fantastic set of Med Gulls among them with at least one adult pair displaying on the main nesting island but a bewildering mixture of
7 April 2018
First Willow Warblers of the year
Migrants Our first Willow Warbler of 2018 was singing below the Holden Tower this morning, a second bird could be heard from the Kingfisher Hide. An increase in Chiffchaff was obvious, at least six singing birds around the site. Sand Martins were lingeri
3 April 2018
Swallows on the move
Migrants A few Swallows have been passing through this morning as well as some Sand Martins, a male Wheatear was on the Dumbles (seen distantly from Holden Tower). Three Ringed Pover, a Grey Plover and 7 Dunlin roosted over high tide. Two different secon
2 April 2018