WWT Slimbridge and local sightings 5 May 2006

5 May 2006 I checked Townfield Lake this morning and had a Turnstone on the pontoon, an Arctic Tern and Common Tern were also present. The Great Crested Grebe pairs are building up and displaying.

I also saw 2 Hobby and 2 first-summer Little Gulls hawking with a Common Tern and 40 Black-headed Gull over the 100 Acre. I got the call that Dave Paynter had found a Great White Egret on the 100 Acre marsh. It was showing well from the platform. Please do not enter the fields here and view only from the lane or platform. This was the first one I had seen on the reserve and the third record for the site. A Little Egret was present for comparison. A Cuckoo was active on the fencelines dropping down and feeding on hairy caterpillars. A Lesser Whitethroat, singing Willow Warbler and other common warblers were present. A Large Red Damselfly was along the Green Lane.