24th August 2026 – WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire

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We have had to be much less adventurous with our holidays this year but nonetheless we have really enjoyed our trips away to the south coast of England. Although the distances travelled have not been very great I was very tired after our last expedition to East Devon (whether it be my health or just old age) and so it was great to relax this weekend and watch some sport and do a little gardening. That doesn’t mean that my camera was very far away and I share a few nature shots from the garden yesterday.

Common carder bee enjoying the salvia

Common carder bee on verbena

£8 solar fountain from amazon.co.uk!

Holly blue butterfly

The common green bottle fly Lucilia sericata on achillea

Also on the achillea a thick-legged hoverfly syritta pipiens

Small white butterfly

Green-veined white butterfly

Holly blue butterfly

After a mainly sedentary weekend by this morning I was chomping at the bit and we had a trip to WWT Slimbridge.

The highlight of our visit was a common snipe (normally very secretive and well camouflaged) which made an appearance as soon as we arrived in the open right in front of us .

Common snipe

Ruff and two greenshank

Greenshank in flight

Spotted redshank

I was very pleased to recognise straightaway the spotted redshank from its feeding habits. I remembered what an old chap (probably younger than me) told me when I starting bird watching, on a trip to Titchwell Marshes in Norfolk, about how the spotted redshank feeds very much like an avocet with a sweeping action whereas the common redshank simply picks at food.

Common redshank

Little egret

You can see the effects of the drought we have had from this shot of a group of common crane

… and from further away

It’s not only the farmers who are desperate for rain – the birds need it too – view of the Severn Estuary from the Estuary hide.

Comments

6 responses to “24th August 2026 – WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire”

August 24, 2026

Roger

Nice snipe pics!

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August 24, 2026

Bob Ramsak

I really like the Snipe images, too. The drought impact with the cranes is very good too. Looks like it was a great outing.

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1. August 25, 2026
  
  martintayler
  
  Thanks for your comments, Bob. Much appreciated.
  
  Martin Tayler
  Martin’s bird and nature blog: https://martinsbirdblog.com/
  
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August 25, 2026

klawless@abundantlydistracted

Looks like you had a busy garden with the butterflies and bees! A very beautiful garden.
What a great outing to get the pictures of the snipe! The images of the impact of the drought is heartbreaking. Hopefully rain will come your way soon.

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August 25, 2026

robbiesinspiration

Hi Martin, it is better to rest if you feel tired. You got some great mini beasts shots. the common snipe is beautiful but so are the other birds.

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1. August 25, 2026
  
  martintayler
  
  Thanks, Robbie. Thanks for your encouragement.
  
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