Date:
28/03-03/04/2019
28/03-03/04/2019
Location:
Newton St Loe,Northwick, Piling Wetlands, Slimbridge & Cleeve hill.
Newton St Loe,Northwick, Piling Wetlands, Slimbridge & Cleeve hill.
Weather:
Mostly clear but much colder
Mostly clear but much colder
Species Highlights:
Little ringed Plover, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Sparrowhawk, Med gull, Skylark, Black Redstart, Canada Geese.
Little ringed Plover, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Sparrowhawk, Med gull, Skylark, Black Redstart, Canada Geese.
Observation:
28/03
A wander around patch didn't reveal very much apart from Mute Swans on top lake surprisingly on nest, still lots of disturbance around lake but hope they persevere.
01/04
April fools day and we headed to Northwick Wharf with the hope of something turning up we saw 5 Little Ringed Plover on Wharf/Pilning Wetlands
6+ Sand Martin We feeding over the wetlands, Meadow pipits constantly overhead too.
Lauren's shot of a Canada Goose nice with bridge in background i thought. (more exciting news of Canada's later in blog!)
Next off Slimbridge, it was slow going but managed a few pictures of the captive species.
Great Scaup
Redhead
Smew, male
Eider, female
With Chiffchaff, Willow Warblers singing and these mmmm.. lovely Moorhen chicks spring was definitely trying although weather was much colder this week and dark clouds were looming on the horizon.
House Sparrow
Collared dove
Pheasant from the Willow hide, Beautiful birds
Herring gull arguing with a rook.
I know all pictures are mostly captive but when its a slow day you gotta snap at something! The Greater Flamingo's where definitely snapping at each other.
More Herring gull.
Saw a few Sparrowhawk around the site
This one having a battle with a Rook
The Rook then landed almost in front of us, bit of a beak deformite going on.
Another Rook joined him/her.
Common Crane looking stunning so close.
Not sure he's happy about having photo taken though?
A single Med gull from Rushy Hide and that was that, a few ticks for us both, Knott being one, Willow Warbler, Sand Martin plus when we left a Barn Swallow sat on wires by Farm. but another nice day at Slimbridge.
03/04
I headed to Cleeve Hill, Gloucester to see if i could find a Ring Ouzel, I met Merv there eventually after he got lost! While i was waiting around masts i spotted the Black Redstart that had been about.
We then walked, sat, waited for a Ring Ouzel to show itself, I thought I saw a distant bird across the valley but too distant to ID, as it turned out a Ring Ouzel was spotted later in morning in that exact spot!
We settled for Meadow Pipits and this Skylark.
First time there and some stunning views over Cheltenham & Racecourse.This from Prestbury Hill Butterfly Reserve, none today.
The Redstart did show a bit better in the end but i left, 6 miles walked and that Ring Ouzel evading me again.
On the decent from hill it Snowed, didn't come to much but a surprise as most of morning it was lovely spring sunshine.
04/05
No picture but leaving for work Thursday night i saw 3 Canada Geese flying right over Patch!! I phoned Lauren at Home and she managed to see Birds circling around heading for Village. The Patch total hits 100.
Its taken a while to get Canada Geese on patch we've seen Barnacle Geese back in 17/01/2014 so this comes of a welcome tick.
Wayne Year bird List: 144
Lauren Year Bird List: 139
No change on Butterflies still 10 species
28/03
A wander around patch didn't reveal very much apart from Mute Swans on top lake surprisingly on nest, still lots of disturbance around lake but hope they persevere.
01/04
April fools day and we headed to Northwick Wharf with the hope of something turning up we saw 5 Little Ringed Plover on Wharf/Pilning Wetlands
6+ Sand Martin We feeding over the wetlands, Meadow pipits constantly overhead too.
Lauren's shot of a Canada Goose nice with bridge in background i thought. (more exciting news of Canada's later in blog!)
Next off Slimbridge, it was slow going but managed a few pictures of the captive species.
Great Scaup
Redhead
Smew, male
Eider, female
With Chiffchaff, Willow Warblers singing and these mmmm.. lovely Moorhen chicks spring was definitely trying although weather was much colder this week and dark clouds were looming on the horizon.
House Sparrow
Collared dove
Pheasant from the Willow hide, Beautiful birds
Herring gull arguing with a rook.
I know all pictures are mostly captive but when its a slow day you gotta snap at something! The Greater Flamingo's where definitely snapping at each other.
More Herring gull.
Saw a few Sparrowhawk around the site
This one having a battle with a Rook
The Rook then landed almost in front of us, bit of a beak deformite going on.
Another Rook joined him/her.
Common Crane looking stunning so close.
Not sure he's happy about having photo taken though?
A single Med gull from Rushy Hide and that was that, a few ticks for us both, Knott being one, Willow Warbler, Sand Martin plus when we left a Barn Swallow sat on wires by Farm. but another nice day at Slimbridge.
03/04
I headed to Cleeve Hill, Gloucester to see if i could find a Ring Ouzel, I met Merv there eventually after he got lost! While i was waiting around masts i spotted the Black Redstart that had been about.
We then walked, sat, waited for a Ring Ouzel to show itself, I thought I saw a distant bird across the valley but too distant to ID, as it turned out a Ring Ouzel was spotted later in morning in that exact spot!
We settled for Meadow Pipits and this Skylark.
First time there and some stunning views over Cheltenham & Racecourse.This from Prestbury Hill Butterfly Reserve, none today.
The Redstart did show a bit better in the end but i left, 6 miles walked and that Ring Ouzel evading me again.
On the decent from hill it Snowed, didn't come to much but a surprise as most of morning it was lovely spring sunshine.
04/05
No picture but leaving for work Thursday night i saw 3 Canada Geese flying right over Patch!! I phoned Lauren at Home and she managed to see Birds circling around heading for Village. The Patch total hits 100.
Its taken a while to get Canada Geese on patch we've seen Barnacle Geese back in 17/01/2014 so this comes of a welcome tick.
Wayne Year bird List: 144
Lauren Year Bird List: 139
No change on Butterflies still 10 species
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