WWT Slimbridge 28 and 29 August 2007

29 August 2007 A great late summer day on the reserve, although most of the day was spent digging out concrete and concreting in new gate and fenceposts I saw a great variety of species flying over or on my travels. Up to three Hobby were feeding over the 100 Acre along with 4 Little Egret, 1 Little-ringed Plover over, 1 Yellow Wagtail over, 2 Greenshank, 2 Whinchat, a Kingfisher and 3 Sedge Warbler were also noted. At Middle Point a further 3 Whinchat were showing on the reeds. The estuary edge over high tide had 1 Wheatear, 50 Curlew, 4 juvenile Knot, 20 Dunlin, 16 Ringed Plover, a Little Stint, a juvenile White Wagtail with three Pieds and juvenile Yellow and assorted gulls. The most bizarre thing was juvenile Sedge Warbler that landed at my feet and then sought cover amongst the feet of the cattle, this was more reminiscent of a Blakeney Point fall than anything I have ever seen on the edge of the Dumbles. It caused me to initially think it was a Grasshopper Warbler as the grass is very short here with no cover and not what the Sedgies go for. I think the South Lake and scrapes held the same range of birds as over the weekend but I did note a Little-ringed Plover over the car park at 0800. In the afternoon I noted a Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler in the hedge at the back of the hedge that can be seen from the Knott Hide.

Juvenile Whinchat in the WWT 100 Acre image by M.J.McGill

Adult Little Stint along the foreshore image by M.J.McGill
Juvenile Spotted Flycatcher near the Holden Tower

28 August 2007 The highlight was seeing six Greenshank arrive over the car park from the east.