WWT Slimbridge sightings 21 January 2007

Female Stonechat in the Ox Piece M.J.McGill

A bird's eye view of the 50 Acre floods. Around 5,000 birds were present here today.

21 January 2007 We managed to count most of the reserve but still had a few outstanding species to cover tommorow. We logged 176 Bewick's Swans, 400 E. White-fronted Geese, 1,000 Pintail, 5800 Lapwing, 4800 Wigeon, 2200 Golden Plover, 1000 Dunlin, 834 Pochard to name a few. 3 Spotted Redshank, 20 Ruff, 36 Redshank, 760 Curlew, Jack Snipe, 1 Little Stint, 1 Knot, 3 Tundra Bean Geese, 3 Stonechat, Rock Pipit, Bittern and a pale first-winter Glaucous Gull (not the previous bird), 2 Great Skua and 15 Raven were all around the sheep carcass on the Dumbles. The real surprise was a flock of 843 Fieldfare with 100 Redwing and 1000 Starling feeding in the fields. 7000 Starling roosted near the Holden Tower. Otherwise a very poor passerine roundup of 7 Meadow Pipit and 2 Linnet around the whole northern half of the reserve. Common finches are also very scarce this year with low numbers at feeding stations.

WWT Slimbridge sightings 16-19 January 2007

Great Bittern at WWT Slimbridge, image by M.J.McGill 14 January 2007

16-19 January 2007 The Bittern continued to show in front of the Zeiss Hide but was seen to be walking off toward the Barclay's hide reedbed on 19 January. On 18th the two Great Skuas were on the Dumbles with at least one the next day. The first-winter Glaucous Gull was still around the Dumbles to 19th at least. The birding is still excellent, we have a count on Sunday so hopefully will have some interesting totals.

WWT Slimbridge sightings 15 January 2007

15 January 2007 The Bittern was still showing, 3 Tundra Bean Geese, 1 Pink-footed Goose, 419 E. White-fronted Geese, first-winter Glaucous Gull, 10 Ruff, 18 Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Knot and two Great Skuas still in the estuary. They were seen to engage in flight and fight on the river (JSL) at 4.00pm. I saw one land on the spartina island this morning. We suspected this as one is moulting primaries and the other it's secondaries and appear different in flight. A Peregrine took a bird among the 5,000 strong Starling roost over the Rushy this evening.

First-winter Glaucous Gull near the Holden Tower, The Dumbles M.J.McGill

WWT Slimbridge sightings 14 January 2007

14 January 2007 A great day for birds and weather at the trust. On show today were a first winter Pink-footed Goose, three adult Tundra Bean Geese, 450 E. White-fronted Geese, 179 Bewick's Swans, 2 continental Greylags, the long staying Bittern, Great Skua on the Dumbles and estuary, first winter Glaucous Gull, Jack Snipe and Cetti's Warbler from the Zeiss Hide, 15 Ruff, Little Stint on the Top New Piece and Dumbles, Spotted Redshank, 1 Knot, 20 Redshank, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Water Rail and thousands of waders and wildfowl. Two Woodcock flew over the centre at 5.15pm and a Barn Owl that was roosting in the Stephen Kirk hide landed on Graham Maples's head this morning!

Pink-footed Goose from the Holden Tower M.J.McGill
Two of the Tundra Bean Geese from the Holden Tower M.J.McGill
The Glaucous Gull from the Holden Tower M.J.McGill
And again
Probably the best of the bunch......one of the two continental Greylags.

Great Bittern at WWT Slimbridge from 27 December to 10 January 2007 at least.

Great Bittern at WWT Slimbridge 30 December 2006 images by M.JMcGill with hand held (no adapter) Nikon Coolpix 995 and Swarovski HD65 scope with 30x eyepiece.

This bird has been showing daily and with patience gives excellent views.