22 July 2014: an afternoon at Slimbridge.

Having done my morning chores, I was sent off for the afternoon. As I hadn't been for a while, I decided to go to Slimbridge - there was of course the added advantage that there are many hides in which to avoid teh sun and heat, paricularly as its the traditional quiet time of the day for birds anyway(-:).

First port of call at Slimbridge was the South Lake hide where I caught this little Grebe that had just finished preening and which promptly diappeared.

Scanning the pools there were an inordinate number of Black Headed Gulls, Coots and Mallards along with a few Cormorants. I don't think there were any Mediterranean Gulls in the flock but I'm no expert, especially when the juveniles are all at different stages of development. However, it was good to see a Common Tern with a single chick on the raft - the chick emerged as I was watching and demanded to be fed.

 Receiving no food or attention, it wandered down for a drink.

LeavingSouth Lake I wandered through towards the Kinfisher hide, more in hope than expectation. On the way I found this Goldfinch feeding on the Thistle heads.

 The Kingfisher hide didn't live up to its name and was in fact as quiet as its ever been(-:). I suppose it's not helped by the fact the water surface is covered in weed. Onto the Zeiss hide next, where there was a family of Reed Warblers about - one of the parents looking rather worn out with all the work required to raise the family

Unfortunately there was no sign of the Spotted Corncrake that had been there a couple of days earlier, but I did meet with someone I knew so we had a catchup chat while we waited for it to turn up. Evebtually we gave up nd went across to the other side of the reserve. At the Rushy hide we saw this Oystercatcher feeding a rather well grown chick.

Quite a few juvenile Shelduck about too, they don't half grow quickly as it doesn't seem long since there were 13 or so balls of fluff following mum about.

On now to the hides on the way down to the Holden Tower. Plenty of Green Sandpiper about thopugh quite distant as well as Pied wagtail.

Hopefully this is a Willow Warbler

and this is a Chiffchaff, hopefully.

A Small White butterfly?

A slightly close Green Sandpiper.

A Brimstone - female?

A juvenile Lapwing, one of several pacing the water's edge.

 

I also saw what appeared to be a family of Yellow Wagtails on the water's edge.

From the Holden Tower, there was not much to see on the estuary  but this juvenile Goldfinch perched nice and close.

And these  Swallow were feeding their young

As it was almost time to go, I had one last visit to the South Lake hide, where the Black Headed Gulls were roosting, though this one was trying to scare off this Herring Gull.

There were several Shoveler about

and a few Black Tailed Godwit came nearer than the main flock.

A lst look past the Rushy hide on the way out and i caufght this Pied Wagtail bathing.

Although the waders were sacrce on the Tack Piece side of the reserve, there was plenty of time to practice Swallow, sand Martin and House Martin flight shots as they were feeding and dipping into the pools.