The Deskbound Birder: Slimbridge WWT

Tuesday 19 April 2016

Slimbridge WWT - 16th April

Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) is a site that I am just getting to know and today I spent a couple of hours birding from the hides and grew to like the place. I spent much time in the South Lake Discovery Hide where there was a great deal of gull activity particularly amongst the Black-headed Gull who were in the full throws of mating and nest building. They gave the Herring Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull short thrift and were not at all happy with their presence. Amongst the Black-headed Gull were at least 3 pairs of Mediterranean Gull plus 4, 1st summer birds. A single colour ringed Black-headed Gull with a white ring on the right leg with the combination 20T3 in black writing was present.

Herring Gull, a 3rd summer bird - South Lake, Slimbridge

Adult and 3rd summer Lesser Black-backed Gull - South Lake, Slimbridge

Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull - South Lake, Slimbridge

Black-headed Gull's enjoying the spring - South Lake, Slimbridge

The Black-headed Gull were not too happy with the presence

of the Herring Gulls on the scrape - South Lake, Slimbridge

Other birds on the South Lake included 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 35 Swallow, 12 Sand Martin, 1 House Martin, 2 Oystercatcher and 12 Cormorant. I wandered up the east side of the centre stopping at the Rushy Hide, Martin Smith Hide and the Holden Tower. highlights included 3 Crane, released birds part of the Great Crane Project, 60 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Barnacle Geese, 4 Blackcap, 30 Shoveler, 45 Teal, 35 Dunlin, a colour ringed Herring Gull with a dark blue ring on the right leg with the code BEA in orange, a flock of around 50 Alba Wagtail many (80%) of which appeared to be White Wagtail and my first Sedge Warbler of the year.

Oystercatcher - South Lake, Slimbridge

Mute Swan - South Lake, Slimbridge

Swallow - South Lake, Slimbridge

Map of Slimbridge WWT

3rd summer Lesser Black-backed Gull - Martin Smith Hide, Slimbridge

Shoveler - Martin Smith Hide, Slimbridge

The amazing bill of Shoveler

I had run my moth trap overnight at Cowley for the first time this year but awoke to snow! The ground was white and there was a continuing heavy snow, we are not used to this in southern England let-along in April, needless to say there was little in the moth trap but for 3 hardy Hebrew Character. The car thermometer read -6C when I set off at 08:30!!.