Sunday, 17 August 2025

WWT Slimbridge :: 26 July 2025

Looking around there didn't seem to be much around that we might travel to, at least not within easy reach. Much like Frampton Marsh and Lymington you can never have a bad day at WWT Slimbridge, so we decided to head there, arriving just as the members’ gate opened, comfortably ahead of the general public. At the entrance we were greeted by a young girl volunteering as a warden, noting down membership numbers. Her mother remarked on how impressed she was that her daughter not only had the interest, but also the enthusiasm to get up so early for it.

From that entry point it made sense to follow the track past the Rushy Hide towards the Estuary Tower Hide, which overlooks the Dumbles. There had been a report of a Caspian tern here the day before, so you never know what might turn up.

At the Rushy hide, there was quite a change since our last visit. Avocet numbers had dropped sharply, presumably because they’d nested and the young had fledged, probably moving to other parts of the reserve. I was keeping a species tally, carefully working through the ducks in search of teal - eventually, I did find a couple. Nearby, a black swan was sleeping, while redshank, green sandpipers, and several little ringed plovers with their young busily scuttled along the water’s edge.

The day before, a female garganey had been reported from the area to the left of the Robbie Garnett Hide. We were delighted when another birder picked it out - distant, but right in front of us. It certainly hadn’t been there earlier, as I had thoroughly scanned all the ducks while searching for teal. It must have dropped in while we were scanning, hidden among the crowd. Over the following days it would prove to be quite mobile, sometimes seen on the Tack Piece, “calling in” before flying back over the hedge.

The garganey is a small dabbling duck, similar in build to teal, and one of the rarest but regular summer visitors. A migratory species, it breeds in parts of Europe and western Asia, arriving in March, then winters in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia from August onwards. A female appearing at Slimbridge in late July might be a failed breeder leaving early, a dispersing post-breeder seeking rich feeding before migration, or a migrant from continental Europe pausing on its journey. Slimbridge provides ideal conditions for moulting birds: safe water, plentiful food along the margins, and limited disturbance.

The female, though far subtler than the strikingly patterned male with his bold white head stripe, is beautifully adapted to her wetland environment. Garganey are often secretive, foraging quietly in shallow margins or hidden among vegetation—unless, of course, they’re fast asleep in the reeds, which is how I’ve often encountered them.

After we'd chatted with others in the hide, we looked back to see our bird had vanished, presumably the small duck flying off to the left.

Garganey
Garganey

Black swan
Black swan

We stopped briefly at the Martin Smith hide, but with little in view we moved on to the Robbie Garnett hide. Here, a dozen or so green sandpipers were feeding close by, a few showing particularly well right in front of the hide. Some waded in the water, their movements captured beautifully in the reflections. Across the far bank a spoonbill was, as ever, fast asleep. A lone male ruff worked along the water’s edge, first feeding to the right and then drifting left. While scanning to count the green sandpipers, I noticed one bird that stood out - “one of these things is not like the others.” It was, in fact, a wood sandpiper.

Wood sandpipers are most frequently encountered during spring passage (April–May) and again on autumn migration (July–September). Late July through August marks their peak return passage, as birds travel south after breeding in northern Europe and Asia. In Britain the annual total usually numbers only in the low hundreds, with most sightings involving single birds, though occasionally several may gather at a good site.

This individual was feeding at some distance but eventually flew in to about halfway across the pool, allowing for a slightly better view and photograph.

Green sandpiper
Green sandpiper
Green sandpiper

Green sandpiper
Ruff and green sandpiper
Wood sandpiper
Wood sandpiper

To our amazement, the spoonbill eventually stirred from its sleep and with a stretch and a shake of its head, it began to preen, giving us a chance to see it in all its elegance. Its plumage looked dazzlingly white and the bird’s long, spatulate bill was shown off beautifully as it worked methodically through its feathers. An exotic visitor more reminiscent of a Mediterranean lagoon than a Gloucestershire wetland.

This small interlude was lovely to watch, as spoonbills often appear motionless for hours at a time. Their routine of sleeping and preening is in fact a reflection of their feeding ecology - they tend to feed intensively at dawn and dusk, sweeping their distinctive bills side to side through shallow water, then spend much of the day resting to conserve energy. In the UK they are still relatively scarce, though their numbers are slowly increasing, with breeding colonies now established in a handful of sites.

After its brief display the bird soon reverted to type, tucking its bill back beneath its wing and sinking once more into sleep.

Spoonbill
Spoonbill

From the next hide we located a great white egret, standing almost motionless in the shallows. Its large size and striking white plumage made it easy to pick out, but the bird hardly moved during the time we watched it. This still, patient behaviour is typical of the species, which will often wait for long periods before stalking and striking quickly at passing fish or amphibians. Great white egrets are becoming more frequent sightings and are now breeding in a few areas, so encounters like this are no longer quite the rarity they once were.

In front of the hide, activity was provided by a family of reed warblers moving rapidly through the reedbed. The adults worked their way among the stems, searching for insects, while the juveniles followed, less agile but clearly learning quickly. Their constant movement gave us an excellent chance to watch them at close quarters, a good example of the busy, hidden life that thrives in reedbeds through the summer.

Great white egret
Reed warbler
Reed warbler

We made our way up into the Estuary Tower and spent some time scanning the view, hoping for a glimpse of the Caspian tern reported the previous day, or perhaps something interesting passing over the Tack Piece or the Dumbles. Despite repeated checks with the scope, the scene remained fairly quiet. On the slope down to the water’s edge we noted groups of gulls, curlew, and dunlin, but nothing out of the ordinary stood out. With little else showing, we decided to retrace our steps and head across to the Zeiss Hide.

From there we picked up a pair of common cranes off to our left, feeding in the distance. These birds have become a welcome feature at Slimbridge in recent years, thanks to the reintroduction programme. Looking further out, a marsh harrier came into view, flying steadily across the reserve. It was immediately mobbed by a variety of smaller species as it passed through. Once the raptor had gone, many of the disturbed birds filtered back down to the pools. Among them we picked out a leucistic lapwing, strikingly pale compared with the rest of the flock and an unusual sight.

From here we could also see more than one hundred avocets – so this is where they were.

Common crane
Marsh harrier
Leucistic lapwing and ruff

A sudden burst of commotion broke out when news came through that the Caspian tern had reappeared. The message circulated quickly via the local WhatsApp birding group, BirdGuides, and even by a telephone call. Kev and I, along with a pair of other birders, set off at pace back towards the Estuary Tower Hide - ironically, we had managed to place ourselves about as far from the bird as it was possible to be on the reserve.

Partway there, however, another update came through: the tern had been flushed by grazing cattle from the field where it had been resting and had vanished. The birders ahead of us relayed the disappointing news, but we continued on regardless, hoping it might return.

At the Estuary Tower Hide, a small crowd had gathered, all scanning the estuary in anticipation. More people arrived in quick succession, word clearly travelling fast. Despite our collective effort, the tern never showed again, though it was reported once more the following day.

While the tern stayed away, there was still plenty of activity on the Dumbles. Increasing numbers of common cranes began to drop in, eventually building to around twelve birds, loosely gathered in pairs. As we watched the cranes settle, the black swan flew past, presumably returning from feeding elsewhere.

Common crane
Black swan

We headed back to the Visitor Centre for a bite to eat and a much-needed coffee before setting off again, this time towards the Discovery Hide. A Tundra bean goose had been reported from there earlier in the morning, and we were keen to try our luck.

On the way, however, we met several birders coming in the opposite direction, all of whom reported that the goose had disappeared. This news was confirmed as soon as we arrived at the hide - no sign of the bird. We spent some time scanning, but at first all we could pick out were greylags scattered across the pools and grazing areas. Still, the atmosphere in the hide was good, with birders chatting.

Then, just as our attention began to drift, Kev suddenly pointed and called out. There, walking steadily along the strip of land between two bodies of water, was our goose. At last, the Tundra bean goose had revealed itself, giving us the views we had been waiting for.

They breed in the Russian Arctic tundra and migrate mainly to western and central Europe; the UK is on the edge of their regular wintering range. Generally darker in plumage than greylags, with a more compact build - the bill is mostly dark with a limited orange band near the middle.

Tundra bean goose
Tundra bean goose
Tundra bean goose
Tundra bean goose
Tundra bean goose
Tundra bean goose

Time was marching on, and we returned to the Rushy hide to see what might be showing there, finding that the spoonbill must have relocated - again initially asleep, preening, and then going back to sleep after it had walked at most 5 metres.

Green sandpipers sometimes flatten themselves, lying low in shallow water when a raptor passes overhead - this “freeze” behaviour is a well-known anti-predator response. However, on hot days, green sandpipers (like many waders) will sometimes settle low in very shallow water or damp mud to cool off. The water can help regulate temperature, especially in mid-summer - this seemed to be what was happening.

A ruff fed in the shallows but again some distance from us.

Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Green sandpiper
Green sandpiper
Green sandpiper
Green sandpiper
Ruff

On our way back to the car we passed through the Slimbridge collection and were drawn to the enclosure holding masked lapwings and southern screamers, two striking species sharing the same space. We stepped inside the walk-through area just as one of the lapwings began bathing in the pool, splashing vigorously before pausing to shake out its wings.

Masked lapwings, also known as spur-winged plovers, are native to Australia and New Guinea. They are bold, noisy birds, often highly territorial, and are well known for defending their nests with loud calls and even aerial attacks on intruders. Their distinctive yellow wattles and sharp wing spurs give them a unique appearance among lapwings.

The southern screamer by contrast, is a large South American wetland bird, more goose-like in size and stature. Despite its bulky build, it belongs to the same order as ducks and geese, though it looks quite different. Its name comes from its extraordinarily loud, far-carrying call, which can be heard over long distances in its native range. At close quarters its size and unusual build make it particularly impressive.

Together in the same pen, the two species made an odd but fascinating pairing - one small and sharp, the other large and ungainly but both offering a glimpse of wetland life from very different parts of the world.

Masked lapwing
Masked lapwing
Masked lapwing
Masked lapwing
Masked lapwing
Sothern screamer

Year list: 222.

Sunday, 3 August 2025

Camp Lane Pools, Grimley :: 19 July 2025

It had been a strange week for weather. As Saturday approached, conditions turned wet, with easterly systems sweeping across much of the country and suggested that the best birding spots might be in the west. As it happened, a black-crowned night heron had been reported at Camp Lane Pools, Grimley, Worcestershire, from 15 July. So, when I messaged Kev @kev07713, he already knew where I’d want to go. It was one of just five UK records that week—and with a travel time of only 1¼ hours, we didn’t need an early start.

Camp Lane Pools, part of the Grimley Nature Reserve, is a mosaic of former gravel and brick pits now transformed into a haven of open water, reedbeds, and grassland, ideal habitat for wildfowl and the occasional rarity.

We left Banbury under dry skies, though rain would be following us. Fortunately, by the time we arrived at Grimley, it remained dry. Could we be lucky enough to avoid the rain altogether?

Grabbing our gear, we set off through the trees along a public footpath. A short way in, we paused at a gap in the left-hand hedge to speak with two birders scoping the water. The heron had been favouring the southern end of the main pool, and we were only halfway to the causeway, our intended vantage point. They confirmed we were on the right path and that the bird had been showing that morning.

Continuing along the path, we crossed a field and passed through a gate, turning left toward the causeway. A small group of birders was already stationed there with scopes, and as we arrived, they confirmed the heron was still in view, perched in a tree to the left. Viewing through a gap cut in the willows, we shifted to the far right and finally had eyes on the bird. Before long, the group began to move, giving us a better viewing position before more birders arrived.

The black-crowned night heron is a medium-sized, globally widespread species, but in the UK it remains a rare visitor. They’re most frequently seen in spring and summer, typically in wetlands and reedbeds, with individuals likely drifting in from continental Europe. UK sightings are often of wandering juveniles from southern Europe, which are brown with white spotting. This bird, thought to be a second-summer individual, also lacked the vibrant colours we saw on the adults during our trip to Ossett a couple of years ago (that report here).

Before long, our bird took flight, moving to the right and landing in a more exposed, leafless tree, actually a better spot for photos. From the gate at the end of the causeway, we could shoot through the willows for clearer views.

We also heard Cetti’s Warbler and Kingfisher calling nearby, though both remained stubbornly out of sight ... for now.

Black-crowned night heron
Black-crowned night heron
Black-crowned night heron
Black-crowned night heron

Kev also had a great video of the bird which can be seen on his post on X --> here .

We could hear kingfishers calling, but frustratingly, they stayed out of sight. A Cetti’s warbler also sang from the willows behind us, and we caught only fleeting glimpses as it flitted through the cover. Our friends Nick @old_caley and Anne Truby arrived not long after, but by then, the night heron had dropped down into the reeds and was now only partially visible.

The group of birders had grown, with conversations buzzing around us, yet the heron remained stubbornly hidden. Some began to drift away, though a steady stream of new arrivals kept the numbers up.

Back in front of the gap cut through the willows, we scanned the water again and were rewarded with views of great White egrets, adding to the gathering of the night and grey heron already present. We had a shower of rain, not heavy but we were under the cover of trees and would stay dry.

Great white egret
Great white egret
Grey and night herons

A kingfisher called again, this time from our left, roughly where the night heron had originally been perched - this was the fifth time that Kev had said he'd heard the call and still had not seen one. We scanned the area casually, and before long I spotted it further along the bank - it must have shifted position since its last call.

Still, we waited for the night heron to re-emerge, but it remained stubbornly tucked away in the reeds. Eventually, Nick and Anne decided they'd had enough and were preparing to leave. We were thinking the same and made our exit shortly before them, encouraged by a tip about a nearby café, Bonnie’s Tea Room and Visitor Centre at Wildgoose, just a few minutes down the road. Brunch was calling.

As we made our way out, we paused to watch a kestrel lift from the stubble field. Moments later, a peregrine falcon soared over the pools, attracting the attention of a common tern and a lesser black-backed gull. The gull soon gave up the chase, but the tern wasn’t so easily put off, relentlessly mobbing the peregrine with sharp calls and impressive aerial manoeuvres until it had cleared the water.

We stopped to talk with another birder who was scanning the hedges, and he informed us there were common redstarts flitting around them - Kev had thought he'd scoped one from extreme distance when we were on the causeway and this now seemed more likely - it took only five minutes, and we were on a juvenile. We then left for brunch.

Peregrine
Peregrine
Peregrine

Bonnie’s is part of Wildgoose Rural Training (WGRT), an organisation that, wherever possible, uses produce grown directly on-site. When local or British ingredients aren’t available, they prioritise high-quality alternatives with minimal food miles. Wildgoose operates as a Care Farm, a centre offering support and meaningful day opportunities for adults with learning difficulties and young people facing challenges in mainstream education.

In 2017, the charity acquired the land: a former quarry and disused asparagus field. By 2019, the main hub was up and running, and the site has continued to evolve and grow ever since.

Next to the centre is a 14-hectare nature reserve, formerly a sand and gravel quarry. The landscape retains many post-industrial features: settling ponds, a shallow reservoir, embankments, and old tracks, which have given rise to a rich mix of habitats. These include woodland, scrub, pockets of flower-rich grassland, reedbeds, and shallow open water.

After brunch, we explored the reserve, hearing reed warblers, great spotted woodpeckers, and a variety of other species. While nothing particularly unusual turned up, it was a genuinely lovely area to walk through.

WGRT works closely with the West Midlands Bird Club (WMBC) and the local RSPB group. WMBC supports the reserve by organising an annual Bioblitz, a nestbox and open nest breeding bird survey, and a ‘birds seen and heard’ report. They’ve also helped develop infrastructure such as wildlife ponds, gates, and access steps. The RSPB group carries out breeding season bird surveys and holds regular conservation volunteer work parties. The site also has a strong tradition of bird ringing, with an active Wildgoose ringing group.

We debated our next move, whether to make a stop on the way home or head back to Camp Lane Pools to look for the common redstarts. In the end, we chose the latter and were back on site within five minutes.

As we walked down the slope, I caught a flash of orange-red, a redstart’s tail, as it darted out and along the hedge. We continued down and stepped out into the field slightly to give the bird some space. After a short wait of around ten minutes, we were rewarded with another sighting - a juvenile redstart, moving steadily along the hedge, a little ahead of us. On the edge of the water, we found a Mediterranean gull preening and then asleep.

Common redstarts are striking and relatively shy songbirds that often prefer the cover of hedgerows, woodland edges, and scattered trees, especially during migration or in breeding areas. They often forage low in hedgerows or along woodland edges, flicking their bright orange-red tails and making short dashes after insects. They are nervous and agile, rarely staying in one spot long and you’ll often see a flash of orange-red as they dart from a perch, especially when disturbed.

Young redstarts are more mottled in appearance (pale speckled breast, duller tail) and often quietly work through hedges feeding, often making them harder to spot than adults.

Common redstart
Common redstart

We continued watching the juvenile, but by now there was a noticeable increase in disturbance as more people arrived, hoping for a glimpse of the night heron, among them Adrian Sparrowhawk, Bryan Manston, and Mark. Wanting a bit more peace, we moved on to another section of hedge, and sure enough, we soon picked up both a male and juvenile redstart. It’s always a treat to see the stunning colours of a male, even if often briefly.

We spent a good while observing them, occasionally joined by passing birders, and were still enjoying the views when our friends returned. They were heading off to Slimbridge, hoping to catch up with the tundra bean goose currently present there, most likely the same bird that’s been roaming the West Midlands for the past couple of years.

Common redstart
Common redstart

After a while, we decided to explore more of the site. As we crossed another track between the pools, we came across a group of birders who mentioned that the night heron had just flown from the southern end in our direction, and they were now searching for it. We pointed out a Mediterranean gull nearby, and together we watched a family group of little ringed plovers moving along the water’s edge in front of us, gradually working their way farther into the distance.

Little ringed plover

While Kev scanned the water, my attention was caught by a family of reed warblers moving through the reeds. I followed them for a while, watching the adult feeding its young both among the reeds and along the fence line.

Reed Warblers typically begin their autumn migration from the UK between August and September, with most gone by mid-September. Juveniles often leave a little later than the adults, but by October, reedbeds fall silent as the last few stragglers head south.

Reed warbler
Reed warbler
Reed warbler

We spent another half hour scanning the area, but eventually it was time to head home. We’d managed to stay mostly dry, only encountering a brief shower. With much wetter weather back home, it was clear we’d made the right choice and enjoyed a fantastic day out birding - Kev's other videos from today can be seen on X --> here.