24 August 2014: An afternoon at Slimbridge

Had a free afternoon and the weather looked unpredictable so I headed for Slimbridge. First port of call, as usual wa sthe South Lake Hide. Pick of the bunch was this Black Tailed Godwit which had a groom right in fron ogf the hide.

There were also a lot of Redshank about feeding, this one being the closest.

 On of the juvenile Terns took to the air

 but quickly resorted to crying out for someone to feed it!

 

There were also a large number of Shoveler in eclips plumage about too, with others arrivimg all the time.

 The juvenile Lapwing are starting to look more the part by now.

 Over at the Zeiss hide everything was much more distant butthis group of Barnacle Geese made a grand entrance.

 This duck caused one of the volunteers some confusion - to him it wasn't quite a straightforward juvenile Tufted Duck, but I wouldn't know myself.

 Red Admiral on the Buddleia

 A Cormorant taking off from outside one of the other hides along towards the Kingfisher hide.

 No Kingfisher at the Kingfisher hide, but quite a few Gadwall

 and a Willow Warbler in the Hawthorn

 This juvenile Moorhen was very amusing for a few minutes - it was preening in the lower branches of this bush and in an attempt to get back in the water, only succeeded in getting highe in the bush and more unsetteled. Eventually it hopped onto teh bank and almost fell, with relief, back into the water. Its feet weren't really designed for tree climbing(-:).

 Another shot of the drake Gadwall amongst the pond weed.

 Back to the South Lake hide and a Black Headed Gull flew over.

 Jackdaws abounded outside the hide

 A Teal foraging for food

 and some Bees collecting nectar.

 Yet another Gadwall, this oe out of the water.

 A Cormorant drying off after a swim, with some snoozing Shoveler and Lapwing.

 Rather a quiet time at the reserve and the afternoon was done. I called in at the Cheltenham Peregrines on teh way home. There was only one of the juveniles at the tower and both parents were away. Then another juvenile came in, stayed for about 5 minutes calling for food and then went off again.