WWT Slimbridge and local sightings 24 and 25 April 2006

Glossy Ibis in the WWT Slimbridge 100 Acre reserve, M.J.McGill. How about that Marshy!

Goldfinch on a 50 Acre fence WWT Slimbridge M.J.McGill.
Brown Hare on the Tack Piece, M.J.McGill
James Lees (Leesy) finally reaches 200 species for his WWT Slimbridge recording area list with a male Yellowhammer at the South Finger (a scarce bird here these days).

26 April 2007 A fall of chats was the highlight, I saw 5 Whinchat (three males at Middle Point and a pair in the 100 Acre), 15 Wheatear (10 at Middle Point, 2 in the 50 Acre, 3 at the 100 Acre) with three of them being of Greenland type. The 17 Glossy Ibis were still present. A Willow Warbler was singing in the grounds after two days without one on site. I heard 3 Lesser Whitethroat on my rounds with 2 along the canal near Fretherne bridge at 0630, also first-summer Mediterranean Gull. On the estuary 1 Whimbrel, 20 Curlew, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit (Middle Point), 63 Dunlin and 8 Ringed Plover were complimented by 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper and Black-tailed Godwits on the scrapes. 10 Swift and flocks of 15 and 30 Sand Martin were over the reserve.

25 April 2007 A Sanderling was among 23 Dunlin and 27 Ringed Plover on the estuary, at least 3 Common Sandpiper were around the reserve. 3 Common Tern inspected the nesting rafts in the 100 Acre.