WWT Slimbridge and local sightings 24-26 April 2006

Male Whinchat (the fourth so far this spring) at WWT Slimbridge 26 April 2006 J.S.Lees

Sorry for the interruption to the service, my phoneline has been down for a few days.

26 April 2006 At WWT Slimbridge, a male Whinchat and first-summer Mediterranean Gull (South Lake) were the highlights today, further species/counts were 1Wheatear 1 Yellow Wagtail, 12 Reed Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Peregrine, 1 Greater Scaup-male Lathbury hide and the high tide roost held 1 Grey Plover, 8 Ringed Plover, 17 Dunlin, 6 Oystercatcher, 14 Curlew, 65 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Little Egret.

Also a Lesser Whitethroat ,1 Common Sandpiper and 2 Little Egret this morning and 1 Wheatear, 56 Whimbrel, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Knot and c8 Dunlin were noted by MJM locally. At least two Swift were over the Perryway at Frampton on Severn this evening.

25 April 2006 Early in the day on the river at WWT Slimbridge MJM noted three first-summer Little Gulls which eventually headed off downriver and a walk before 0800 produced 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Common Whitethroat, 7 Grey Plover, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel, 2 White Wagtail, 50 Dunlin, 1 Wheatear, male Garganey, a single screaming Swift (local bird back on territory?) and 2 Great Crested Grebe at Frampton on Severn. Also 2 Common Sandpiper.

24 April 2006 At WWT Slimbridge a few new birds were noted. A male Garganey was the first seen on the reserve so far this year. A total of 1o Little Egrets were present, 8 Willow Warbler, immature Peregrine, 13 GBBGull, 1 Curlew in the morning with 46 at the end of the day (migrants?), 32 Whimbrel arrived before the tide, 4 Wheatear, 11 Arctic Tern flew downriver at 0729, 2 White Wagtail, 90 migrant, first-summer BH Gulls which ended up on South Lake, 2 Snipe, a minimum of 64 Black-tailed Godwit.