WWT Slimbridge and Gloucestershire sightings 9 April 2007

Marbled Duck at Saul Warth/Frampton Marshes aka the Severn Lands

The cattle are back on the reserve and await the Yellow Wagtails!

The first brood of reserve Mallard ducklings in the Bull Ground

9 April 2007 No reports this week due to myself and James being in Extremedura, Spain. A trip report will appear soon in the relevant section as well as images from the succesful trip. A few migrants around today with 5 Willow Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 25 Chiffchaff and Little Ringed Plover noted. A Green Sandpiper remains on the Tack Piece and a few Black-tailed Godwit are also on site. The 100 Acre has 2 Spotted Redshank, 3+ Little Stint and 15 Dunlin as well as 8 Little Egrets and plenty of duck and breeding waders. The river is very quiet.

A Marbled Duck which is not from WWT was on the marshes between Frampton on Severn and Saul Warth. The fields here are private but the site can be viewed from public footpaths along the canal and from Saul Lodge. Please park sensibly as it is limited in the village. A Little ringed Plover and a fine selection of duck including Gadwall, Teal and Pintail were also present.

Ring Ouzels are back in numbers with Cleeve Hill being the best site; please view them carefully as they are very shy and suffer a lot of disturbance from various leisure activities on the hill.

8 April 2007 An immature Glaucous Gull was on the Tack Piece. This may be erroneous as a large pale gull ( I have not seen it myself) has been sat in the same place for three days in the place that the Glauc was reported from.