BEWICKS ARE BACK!

With a cold easterly wind, I was not surprised to hear that the Bewick Swans have begun to arrive at WWT Slimbridge.  With some winter sunshine forecast I paid them a first visit of the season. About 50+ are now present, although all but a couple were grazing in the fields. However as it neared  4pm small groups began to assemble in the Rushy Pen awaiting their tea time feed. 

I spent the afternoon  along the Holden Walkway, where a number of birds of interest were to be found, apart from the Bewick swans. A water rail was clearly visible from the Willow Hide,  making the most of the seed fallen from the feeders above it. A snipe and a Jack snipe were also present on one of the islands seen from  another of the hides. As well as the more common greylags and Canada geese, a few barnacle geese could be seen from the Holden tower,  together with a number of cranes, and I also spotted one of the  white fronted geese from another of the hides along the walkway. Plenty of wigeon were grazing and there were also a good number of pintails and teals. Also a redshank seen. 

                                                                     Bewick swans

Canada geese

greylag

house sparrow

jack snipe

pintails

shelduck

shoveler

snipe

snipe

teal

water rail

whited fronted goose with Canada goose

wigeon

wren