WINTER VISITORS ARRIVING AT SLIMBRIDGE

 

It was a beautiful autumn morning for my visit to Slimbridge today. A number of wildfowl have started arriving  for their winter stay at Slimbridge, including the first two Bewick swans of the autumn, white fronted geese, pintails and wigeon so I looked forward to seeing these. The Bewick swans were on the Rushy Pen together with a number of pintail as well as the usual shelducks, lapwings and gulls. 

After enjoying watching these for a while, I walked along the walkway to the Estuary Tower, stopping at the hides along the route. Of particular note were three spotted redshanks, a black tailed godwit, some snipe and a handful of white fronts. From one of the hides I watched a kingfisher which was diving into the water regularly from a perch behind some reeds. 

I ascended the steps to the Estuary Tower, stopping at the viewing area below the open topped area. I noticed some people with their lenses pointing at the little copse just below and realised there were a few redwings feeding on the berries.  They were giving some clear views from time to time, and I spent some time here, as I've always wanted to photograph redwings and berries, but have never been in a close enough position. I was quite pleased with some of my results. 

Other birds were also  enjoying the berries, including a song thrush and robin. Beyond the copse were the usual range of geese (Canada, greylag and barnacle), and some cranes. 

From the comfort of the Discovery Hide, I watched a Painted lady butterfly which fed from some flowers along the causeway; here three cattle egrets could be seen as well as a bittern at the rear of the pond. 

I walked as far as the Kingfisher hide, stopping to eat my lunch on one of the benches by the dragonfly pond where I noticed some common darters and a migrant hawker. From the hide itself I saw a Brimstone butterfly flutter past in the sunshine. 

The light made photography enjoyable and I have put some of my best efforts below.