WWT Slimbridge sightings 9 May 2006

9 May 2006 Some good birds arrived today. MJM and JSL began the day at 0630 by installing a pump at the 100/50 Acre marshes to add water to the rapidly drying pools. It costs £160.00 for a weeks hire, conservation does not come cheap! Hopefully this will extend the life of the floods and perhaps even attract more birds in to breed. Many Lapwing are on the verge of hatching young. On the river 236 Dunlin, 9 Sanderling, 3 Grey Plover, 1 Knot, 8 Ringed Plover, 8 Common Tern were joined by a Sandwich Tern briefly at 0715. The 100 Acre had 1 Wheatear, 1 Little-ringed Plover, 3 1st-summer Little Gulls (roosted), 4 Common Terns, 5 Little Egrets, drake Garganey, a Yellow Wagtail and 3 Hobbies.

At lunchtime 1300-1400 a Little Tern was fishing between Middle Point and Fretherne and in the company of 4 Commic Terns at times.

The Top New Piece looks fantastic with breeding Lapwing (4-5 pairs), 2 Wigeon, 5 Shoveler, 2 drake Garganey, 1 Dunlin, a pair of breeding Great Crested Grebe, 10 Gadwall, 2 Little Egrets and many other common species present this morning.

Another Hobby was over Middle Point at 1400 and this afternoon whilst putting up a fence at the Holden Tower a Nuthatch called from the Decoy wood. Leesy called it in and it perched above us along the walkway. It has to be the same bird we both saw in different parts of the reserve last month. It is still a rare bird here. A Willow Warbler sang from here also, they are scarce now with the main migration over.

The South Lake held 9 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Common Terns among the many breeding wildfowl.