I paid a second post-lockdown visit to WWT Slimbridge today to see what I could find, as there have been a number of reports of waders arriving at the Centre.
Having booked my visit a few days earlier, I arrived soon after the centre opened; any early queues had disappeared and I went straight through the visitor centre after presenting my booking number and membership card at the reception desk. The temperature had dropped considerably since yesterday, yet it was pleasantly warm with no need for a jacket, and sunny spells were forecast.
As usual I made for the Rushy Pen hide, that being the nearest hide to the visitor centre. Only two people were there ( maximum 4 allowed) so I took up a place in front of the open window, A large flock of black tailed godwits were feeding enthusiastically a little way from the hide, amongst them were two knot (first sightings for the year), still exhibiting some red from their summer plumage, and a few dunlin. Some way behind were five green sandpipers only just discernable through binoculars.
Other birds present included lapwings, greylag geese, mallards, juvenile shelducks, black headed gulls, a grey heron and a little egret.
A second egret was preening itself the other side of a tussock of grass, giving occasional glimpses of its white head. Occasionally a flock of goldfinches would swoop down for a quick bathe in the shallows.
A couple of hides further away yielded more lapwings, green sandpipers and a solitary greenshank, another first sighting.
Other hides were quite quiet along the walkway so I decided to make my way to the opposite side of the Centre to the Discovery Hide. Here there was a 13 person limit, and because it is popular with families, I had to wait a while for my turn to go in, but it was a good opportunity for a coffee break!
From this hide I added ruff and avocet to my day's list of waders. The spotted redshank seen earlier had disappeared. The remaining hides produced no new sightings so I made my way back to the Rushy Hide. However this time four people were already there and showed no signs of leaving! I popped into the Peng Observatory which looks on the same area of water from another angle and noticed that the previously obscured little egret and obviously come out into the open and looked to be immediately in front of the Rushy Hide!
I decided to wait outside and once I caught a photographer's eye, I enquired if the little egret was there. He answered Yes and after a few minutes offered to let me have his place. Grateful to him, I spent a few minutes observing the bird and taking several photographs, before allowing the photographer to return to his place.
flock of black tailed godwit
grey heron
knot amongst the godwit
dunlin knot and godwit
lapwing
goldfinch
cranes viewed
from the Discovery Hide
lesser black backed gull
little egret...
newly built theatre area, yet to be opened
one of a few lego birds around the Centre
some butterflies which caught my notice
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