WWT Slimbridge sightings 27-30 April 2007 updated from yesterday

Brown Hare on the 1400 landrover safari M.J.McGill

30 April 2007 My day got of to a good start as I cycled to work, a hunting Barn Owl just down the road from my house at 0525 was preceded by 3 Yellowhammer and 2 singing Common Whitethroat. Lots of warblers were in song but the cool wind helped to keep them low. At Saul Warth, a flock of 12 Glossy Ibis fed as well as 100 Black-headed Gull, male Pintail, Spotted Redshank and Greenshank. At WWT at least 280 Bar-tailed Godwit were seen with 100 still present around the estuary at the end of the day, flocks that I noted migrating upriver between 0630-0715 numbered c130, 4, c38, and c33. A group of 8 and 6 Black-headed Gull also went north, 20 Dunlin, 7 Ringed Plover and 15 Curlew were also present in the estuary. Two single Yellow Wagtail headed north and two further birds that I saw for less than a minute yesterday were feeding briefly on the ground, one of these was a male flavissima, the other I could not get to grips with but will be researching further, it was very pale headed, reminiscent of beema but had dark markings on the sides of the breast. At Middle Point the Great Skua flew just 2ft above me and caused me some concern for a while, I could have touched it! South Lake held a Common Sandpiper, 7 male Shoveler, 2 pairs of Teal and three islandica Black-tailed Godwit, one of the males was displaying to the female with wing flagging, display flights and posturing and the evocative call all providing a fine birding expierience. Only three Teal were noted on the Top New Piece which had become a service area for 130 tired Herring/LBB Gulls which were held up by the northerly wind. A Weasel was being harrased by Jackdaw and Rook. A male Hairy Hawker was hunting around the viewing platform and further emergences of damselflies was in evidence. In addition a Grasshopper Warbler was reeling at the 100 Acre and four Glossy Ibis fed around the marshes here, I did see a single one fly north at 1240. 4 Swift were over the reedbeds.

29 April 2007 A day of good visible migration, a constant stream of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls amounted to over 400 birds throughout the day. Small flocks of B.H. Gull were also noted, 90 on the Top New Piece and 30+ on the estuary and 8 and 10 North during the morning. At 0605 the Glossy Ibis left the roost and dispersed in smaller groups for the day. We saw them on the Birdwatch morning and both safari's. Passerines included 5 Yellow Wagtail, a Wheatear, a Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, a White Wagtail, a few Swallow, 4 Sand Martin, 4, 3, 5, 2 and 3 Swift and 2 House Martin all north. The pick of the lot was the Spotted Flycatcher around the Holden Tower/Knott Pool. Waders had improved with 110+ Bar-tailed Godwit north at 0610 followed by 13 at 0634 and a single from Middle Point, 20 Ringed Plover, 21 Dunlin, 1 Grey Plover were off Middle Point, Mike King reported a few wader species including an Avocet and 4 Knot as well as 130 Barwits off Fretherne, this ties in with the same birds that I noted from WWT. A male Red-breasted Merganser flew around the estuary at 0600 and 0640. A group of 4 Arctic Tern went north at 0620 and were also seen by Mike. TheSouth Lake held 5 Shoveler, 7 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Common Sandpiper. 2 Hobby were feeding on emerging insects over the 100 Acre (Blue-tailed and Large Red Damselfly plus a male Hairy Hawker hunting the ditches), Mute Swan had hatched cygnets. A Greenshank was on the Tack Piece scrape and one was seen in the 50 Acre (perhaps the same).

28 April 2007 I did not do any birding today but I heard of 4 Arctic Tern that flew upriver.

27 April 2007 I did not do any birding today.