Sightings and news to week ending 2 March
An ongoing record of what's been seen around the reserve.
On Sunday the 2nd of March we will have an Optics day in the Peng Observatory from 11am- 3pm, follow this link to find out more.
Friday 28 February
Bumblebees are starting to make a reappearance here at Slimbridge and we have also had our first Brimstone and Red Admiral butterflies spotted in the sunshine!
Martin Smith Hide
By the bridge there was a Song Thrush in its usual tree singing away.
Robbie Garnett Hide
Looking out on the Tack Piece there were 6 Redshank, 3 Ruff, 4 Dunlin, 2 Avocet, 295 Wigeon, 42 Shoveler, 23 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 127 Teal, 2 Whooper Swan, 5 Bewick’s Swans (8 Bewick’s were still on site today). Mid-morning 2 Spoonbills came along 1 juvenile and 1 adult, they slept at first before having a feed. There were also 99 White-fronted Geese and 5 unringed Crane.
Estuary Tower
On the main scrape there were 6 White-fronted geese with 1 Little Stint, 15 Shoveler and 3 Shelduck. On the Dumbles Evie the Crane was there with 32 Shelduck, 8 White-fronted geese and 65 Curlew on the riverbank. In the Pillbox pool there were 131 Wigeon and 6 Teal, while in the Long Ground Pool there were 35 Tufted Duck, 53 Shoveler and 8 Shelduck.
Discovery Hide
On South Lake there were 98 Black-tailed Godwit, 30 Dunlin and 39 Avocet were roosting on the Deep Lake. Joining them were 36 Tufted Duck, 47 Pochard, 1 male Goldeneye and smaller numbers of Teal, Shoveler and Gadwall. There was a mixed flock of 325 gulls mainly Black headed gull with a few Common among them.
Zeiss Hide
With it being a frosty start to the day the water was mostly frozen but Shelduck, Teal and Wigeon were out there in good numbers. In the Reedbed in front of the hide there were 2 Snipe and c60 Dunlin were out on one of the back scrape islands. There were 2 Reed Bunting in song and a single Treecreeper was in the oak trees in the Spinney.
South Finger Walkway
Heading down the path to Kingfisher hide there were Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Reed Bunting, Cetti’s Warbler and Blackbird singing away, 6 Redwing were spotted too. Just beyond Van de Bovenkamp Hide a Red Kite was seen flying over the river.
Kingfisher Hide
At the Kingfisher Hide the feeders were busy with Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits as well as a Coal Tit and Greenfinch. On the Bottom New Piece there were 87 Dunlin in the field and Lapwing were also putting on a display.
Thursday 27 February
Zeiss Hide
From Zeiss Hide a Sparrowhawk flew low over the Top New Piece there was also 32 lapwing, c50 Dunlin, 2 Oystercatcher, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, 7 Mute swan and a Reed Bunting was singing away in the Reeds directly in front of the Hide.
South finger walkway to Kingfisher Hide
Heading down the South finger walkway there was an active Long tailed tit flock, both Chaffinch and Song thrush singing away, Kestrel hunting overhead, Coal tit, Goldcrest and Greenfinch on the feeders, 2 Little Grebe on the water and 2 Kingfishers were quite active too.
Rushy Lake
The 8 Bewick's swans were still around with the 2 Whooper Swans as well as 17 Pochard, 1 Black Swan, 2 Mute swans, 45 Pintail, 3 Avocet, 1 Lapwing and 2 Oystercatcher.
Robbie Garnett Hide
On the Tack Piece there were 2 Spoonbill (1 Adult and 1 Juvenile), 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Redshank, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 116 White-fronted Geese, 9 Cranes, 52 Curlew, 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Ruff and 1 Great Egret.
Estuary Tower
On the Dumbles there was 1 Redshank on the main scrape, 5 Oystercatcher, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, 23 Curlew, 189 Barnacle Geese, 1 Peregrine, 1 Raven, 40 Dunlin, 2 Little Stint, 1 Buzzard and 4 Cranes (Ruby and her family) that then flew to the Tack Piece.
Discovery Hide
Looking onto the South Lake there were 56 Avocet, 141 Black-tailed Godwit and 50 Common gull on the wader scrape while a mixed flock of Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, 2 Oystercatcher and one male Goldeneye were on the Deep lake.
Wednesday 26 February
An Adult Spoonbill once again joined the long staying Juvenile, by comparing photos it looks to be a different individual to last week. They were spotted initially in front of the Estuary Tower before moving onto the Tack Piece in front of the Robbie Garnett Hide.
Martin Smith Hide
In this little corner of the Tack Piece there were 7 Mallard, 2 Wigeon, 2 Shoveler, 2 Teal, 2 Coot and 1 female Tufted Duck.
Robbie Garnett
Early morning, through the rain there were 62 Curlew, 4 Oystercatcher, 12 Redshank, 17 Ruff, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, as well as Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Shelduck and Shoveler on the Tack piece.
Estuary tower
In the morning on the main Scrape there were 7 Redshank with Wigeon and Teal, Shoveler and Dunlin were heading out to the river as the tide retreated as well.
Throughout the day, the bulk of the White-fronted Goose flock were on the Tack piece before moving off towards the canal. A Red kite made an appearance flying over the Tack Piece while singles of Little stint, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier and Little Egret appeared on the Dumbles.
South Lake
In the morning there were 78 Avocet, 10 Pochard, 64 Shoveler, 130 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck and 2 Lapwing. In the afternoon a male and female Goldeneye were also spotted.
Zeiss
Looking onto the Top new piece there were 2 Cetti's warbler, 175 Wigeon, 24 Shelduck, 119 Teal, Snipe and 16 Lapwing. Late morning there were 2 White-fronted Geese close to the Hide, also spotted was one Kestrel, 2 Oystercatchers and 4 Snipe.
Kingfisher Hide
The 2 Kingfishers were once again seen being busy around the nesting bank. Two Buzzard flew over and 2 Little Grebe and a Water Rail were seen on the water. On the Feeders were 6 Greenfinch, 1 Coal Tit, Siskin and 4 Redpoll. In the Bottom new piece field, there were 9 Lapwing and 4 Golden Plover.
Willow Hide
In the woods behind the feeders a Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming, and a Green Woodpecker was heard calling too. Meanwhile on the feeders there were Great and Blue Tit, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Rushy Hide
Still 8 Bewick's swans present with 2 Whooper swans, 6 Avocets were exploring the islands too.
Tuesday 25 February
Willow Hide
Mid-morning there was a sighting of a Bearded Reedling from Willow Hide, it flew toward the Rushy Lake so may have stopped off in the reedbed in front of Martin Smith Hide.
Discovery Hide
The Lapwing numbers have significantly reduced to just 35 on site, with 14 individuals on the South Lake, the juvenile Spoonbill was around with 200 Black-tailed Godwit, 80 Avocet (two were colour ringed), 15 Dunlin, 2 Oystercatcher, flocks of Teal, Pochard, Tufted Duck and Gadwall. A single male Marsh Harrier went through as well. Outside the Hide in the Alder trees there was a mixed flock of Redpoll and Siskin.
Rushy Hide
Only 8 Bewick's Swans and 2 Whooper Swans remained on site today.
Tack Piece
Visible from the Robbie Garnett Hide the flooded field was still busy with wintering birds, with at least 125 Russian White-fronted Geese grazing. Around the muddy edges there were 17 Ruff, 20 Redshank, 15 Curlew and flocks of Wigeon, Pintail and Teal.
Monday 24 February
In the Withy bed near the Willow Hide there was a Chiffchaff around in the early morning
Discovery Hide
On the South Lake the Spoonbill was still present in the morning as well as 86 Lapwing, 300 Dunlin, 45 Avocet, 46 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Oystercatcher.
Kingfisher Hide
Around 64 Russian White-fronted Geese were in the fields surrounding the Kingfisher Hide in the morning, they were quite mobile throughout the day. A pair of Kingfishers were seen to be inspecting the nest holes and flying through the South Finger reed bed too, often perching on the sticks opposite Van de Bovenkamp Hide. In front of the Kingfisher Hide there was Little Grebe, Gadwall and Shoveler along channel and a Coal Tit on the feeders.
Estuary Tower
In front of the Tower there were two Little Stints feeding around the Dumbles scrape early morning. Looking towards the Tack Piece there were 22 Bewick's Swans and two Whooper Swans. Also there were changeable numbers of waders but 43 Black-tailed Godwit, 300 Dunlin, 13 Ruff and 24 Redshank were present first thing.
