WWT Slimbridge and local sightings 6 May 2007

6 May 2007 Around the reserve today I noted a Whimbrel on the Bottom New Piece 0700, 1 flying downriver at 0730, one flying south over fields at 0800 and 2 flying downriver at 2.15pm. A single Curlew was off the Dumbles with c8 at the north end of the estuary. On the Birdwatch morning we recorded a male Hairy Hawker, Brown Hare, 2 first-summer Mediterannean Gull over with c10 B.H.Gulls, Little Tern 1 South at 1023, Peregrine, the Great Skua, 6 Little Egret, a Yellow Wagtail, 2 Common Tern, Hobby and 2 Sand Martin and 30 Swift. The afternoon safari highlight were very close views of Hairy Hawker and two male Blue-tailed Damselfly. A male Yellow Wagtail was in the 100 Acre at 4.30pm.

At Saul/Frampton marshes a pair of Garganey, 14+ Glossy Ibis, 1 Whimbrel and the Marbled Duck were still present.

5 May 2007 I noted 1 Common Sandpiper, a Yellow Wagtail (crops east of canal) 8 Bar-tailed Godwit, a pair of Garganey, the Marbled Duck, a Greenshank, a Whimbrel, a Little-ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin and the Glossy Ibis flock at Saul/Frampton marshes. A pair of mating Common Tern were at Townfield Lake. At WWT Slimbridge an adult Baltic Gull was on the river and 3 male and 1 female Common Scoter, 1 Arctic Skua and 2 D.B Brent Geese were highlights.