WWT Slimbridge and Gloucestershire sightings 8 May 2006

Grasshopper Warbler on the Cotswolds 8 May 2006 M.J.McGill.

Nightingale at the CWP 8 May 2006 M.J.McGill

8 May 2006 An early start for little reward today. The low tides did not really produce much. Later in the day the rain brought in a few more birds. The 100 Acre held 1-2 Yellow Wagtail, 70 Swift, 4 Common Tern, 4 Shoveler, 2 first-summer Little Gulls, 50 Black-headed Gull with six pairs on territory.2 Little-ringed Plover. A male Garganey was on the Top New Piece with seven Shoveler, 8 Teal and 10 Gadwall. The Greater Scaup was on South Lake with five Black-tailed Godwits. A further two were in the 50 Acre. Around ten Little Egrets were seen today.

On the river at least 17 Ringed Plover, 13 Whimbrel later joined by 19 more that flew in from the south (1700) and included an albinistic one, 5 Sanderling, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Curlew, 50 Dunlin. A Little Tern was also seen at Frampton today.

Myself and James went to the Cotswold Water Park to pick up a WWT landrover and managed to see 15 Hobbies and 31 Common Terns together at the same time. A couple of Nightingale and Garden Warblers were also seen in our brief visit. On the return joruney across the Cotswolds we heared a Grasshopper Warbler reeling on the side of the road. We stopped and got some good views of this skulker.