Another break in the rain and so we make a dash for Slimbridge. There’s not much doubt that these are currently wetlands.
Northern lapwings and golden plover clearly enjoying the wet conditions
There were a few rarities there today (spoonbill, dark-bellied Brent goose) but the only rarity (for Slimbridge) which we managed to see amongst the thousands of birds on view were two Whooper swans who have joined the visiting Bewick swans and the native mute swans.
Bewick swanWhooper swanMute swanNorthern pintailA ruff and a shelduck either side of a pair of wigeon Black-tailed godwits were easier to pick out when they took to the airLapwingsEven the chaffinch had to negotiate the wet conditionsWe heard the curlews way before we saw themI only saw two oystercatchersThere were rather a lot more golden ploverThe golden plovers regularly made splendid displays over the wetlandsNorthern shovelersWigeonWhooper swan up closeThe Bewick swans are much smaller than the Whoopers (and the mute swans) and have proportionally more black and less yellow on their billsMale and female tufted duck
Martin's Bird Blog & Nature Photos 