We were about to head south to the Somerset Levels but we had a change of mind when a quick check of the weather forecast showed heavy rain whereas just north of us, at Slimbridge, dry weather was predicted.
There were more geese on the reserve than previous visits but nothing new to report other than a first sighting for us of a red fox on the reserve. None of the birds seemed to be agitated by the presence of the fox. However, the fox seemed to be in good health and certainly well fed!
We were only free for the morning and so we reverted to our “safe place” – the World Wildfowl Trust’s reserve at Slimbridge.
We had a disappointing start, with not very much to see, but our patience prevailed and in the end we were rewarded with some nice birds.
Extended highlights video (less than 4 mins!)
It’s been a while since we have managed to get out birding and so we opted for our safe bet of WWT Slimbridge. Although we have had some rain and the fields have greened up a lot, the water levels are very low and most waders are probably opting for the nearby muddy banks of the Severn Estuary.
However, I hope you agree, there were a few nice birds to see.
We have had some rain in the last few weeks and the countryside is beginning to green up but the pools at Slimbridge were still very low again this morning. We didn’t really see anything very different from our last few visits but it was great to get out and see what was about and take some pics!
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.
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 .
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.
The best thing about our visit to WWT Slimbridge on another glorious hot summer’s day (apart from the coffee and bacon roll on arrival) was the shade provided by the willow-lined walkway which stretched from one hide to another. We didn’t stay long because we knew the drive home would be very hot and we had seen enough to lift our spirits.
As the beautiful summer continues we had a pleasant trip this morning to the World Wildfowl Trust’s centre at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire.
There were a few pleasant surprises with a wood sandpiper that was a little reticent to perform at first but came close and displayed very well. We don’t often see spotted redshank so they too were a pleasant surprise. Common crane are quite regular here now and we saw 11 in total and two flew over very close. I managed to photograph a sparrowhawk in flight but it was a last minute effort and a poor photograph. Green sandpipers have been here for our last two visits and again came fairly close as did the ruff. We haven’t seen little grebe here for a while and there was also a pair of common terns to complete the morning.
A greater flamingo was a surprise too but it was not a sign of global warming, simply an escapee from a zoo.
Hope you enjoy the photos.
We had to go to Cheltenham today (30 odd miles to the north of Bristol) and took advantage of the trip by calling in at WWT Slimbridge on the way home. We were really surprised how much there was to see from just a few of the hides.
Here are a few of my photos from today.
We could see a pocket of fine weather this morning and headed for our “safe place” at Slimbridge on the Severn Estuary.
We weren’t expecting much activity as not much has been reported here recently – serious birders are probably down on the estuary looking for migrants. However, there was plenty to keep us happy with lots of birds nest-building or, in the case of the geese and coots, looking after their new offspring.
We also saw a pair of common kingfishers fetching food for their young but it was challenging photographing them as we were in a hide behind glass and at some distance. Still a treat all the same.
The centre has built a new area for school groups to have their packed lunches and the new planting has been very successful and particularly attractive at this time of the year.
The rain set in early afternoon on our way home – the farmers and the gardeners will be happy.
It was a very gloomy morning at Slimbridge but, even though we are between seasons with not so many birds around, our spirits were lifted with some exciting moments. We even heard our first willow warbler.
Yesterday there was a little sunshine and I managed a few photos of garden birds in our garden.
What a joy to be out and about and immersed in nature again today. I know with the wet weather we have had this winter many others would also be feeling the same.
However, I’m especially grateful as in the past 3 and a half months since my last blog I have had some serious surgery to contain bladder and prostate cancer. I am very pleased that today I have got to the point where I could make the 25 mile journey to Slimbridge and even happier that I could manage to carry a camera to capture some of the beautiful moments.
I was restricted to the two nearest hides to the centre’s entrance but that was more than enough for today. The highlights were 3 Eurasian spoonbills but each and every bird was a special delight for me. Hope you like some of the photos too.
The bright sunlight tempted us out again to WWT Slimbridge, just half an hour up the motorway from where we live in Bristol. However, we weren’t quite prepared for the cold winds which greeted us when we arrived on the estuary of the River Severn.
I don’t know whether I was affected by the cold but my photos were pretty dreadful and I have very few that I want to publish today.
In the last few blogs I have been experimenting with video and so I offer a short video of some of the birds we saw today. I have left the wind noise (but toned down) to give you a feeling of the cold wind!
Despite my excitement in my last blog about the Bewick’s swans there was not one to be seen today.
There were lots of geese and a few curlew but not much aerial activity except occasionally for flocks of lapwings and shelduck.
