Saturday, January 18, 2020

WWT Slimbridge 2020

☀️6C ~ Wind ⇐ w@3mph  Saturday 18th January 2020 ~ For the past ten years or so Dazza and I have made an annual pilgrimage to WWT Slimbridge during the month of January. It's not only a great place to see certain species that your perhaps unlikely to see in the wild during your lifetime, but it's also a great place for an early boost to the year-list. Of course with our big move up to Scotland later this year, this may well be our last visit for some time!

Cattle Egret a bonus year-tick on the South shore
It was a great start with a couple of Common Cranes flying right over our heads as we made our way up to the centre from the car park. Plus, reported shortly after our arrival, a Cattle Egret, which was showing quite well on the south shore.

Bewick Swan
It was a typically enjoyable visit with the usual selection of wintering wildfowl on the 'Dumbles' including (6) Cranes, (22) Bewick Swans and various numbers of White-fronted and Barnacle Geese.

Redshank enjoying the winter sunshine
Black-tailed Godwit keeping a low profile
Wader species on offer and mostly distant today included Redshank, Dunlin, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet, Oystercatcher and Snipe.

Pintail
A very showy Water Rail



Other notable sightings: Chiffchaff, Marsh Harrier and a very showy Water Rail.