WWT Slimbridge sightings 20 March 2006

20 March 2006 Sightings today included two Little Egrets in the Bull Ground/100 Acre (a third flew into the Tudor Arms car park ditch at The Patch) you can have a pint of Two Swans (WWT 60th celebratory ale) and add another bird to the beer garden list. 1 Spotted Redshank, 10 Oystercatcher, 4 Redshank all on the estuary mud, 19 Golden Plover, 15 Dunlin, 40 Lapwing, 150 Teal, 300 Wigeon, 50 Pochard, 50 Shoveler, 1 Stonechat, a Chiffchaff and 2 Cetti's Warbler were all around the 100 Acre. A flock of 12 Siskin and three Lesser Redpoll kept visiting the alders around the centre entrance. The 7 Bewick's Swans remained. Four Ruff were with the Lapwing flock on the road fields/South Lake. The first-summer Greater Scaup was trapped and ringed today along with 7 Shelduck, 8 Pintail, 3 Mallard and a Teal. The former was released back on to European enclosure pond where it remained. A flock of 179 Pintail were on the Rushy at 1600.