SLIMBRIDGE

A sunny day for my Friday day off, gave me another chance to go to Slimbridge WWT. The view of waders on the Tack Piece was spectacular - over 2000 golden plovers plus many lapwing, bewick swans, some ruff, redshanks, curlews and a variety of ducks and geese. Every so often, they would be spooked and rise at once into the air circling and whirling until they felt it safe to return to the ground. It always amazes me, that  although they rise in a mass, somehow they recombine into groups of the same species, flying at different altitudes. 

I had hoped to add water rail to my year list today, but it didn't show this morning. I did however, see goldfinches redpolls and siskin in the alders. A new for the year bird was an oyster catcher on the South Lake, 

DIPPER

I finally found an opportunity to visit Rodborough Common, just outside Stroud where a substantial flock of waxwings has been recorded over the week ( 32+ birds) and I hoped to see them. However, on arrival it appeared that although they had been seen earlier, they had been very 'flighty' and had flown off and no one yet had re-located them. I explored the common for about an hour, along with several other birders, but sadly didn't find them. 

I therefore decided to pop into Stroud and walk along the river bank of the River Frome which is a nature reserve and  is home to dippers. I've been there most years, with varying success, sometimes seeing just one dipper for a few minutes, at other times a fleeting glimpse as one flies past. 

Today I had only gone half way along the path when I spotted the white 'bib' of a dipper on the opposite bank. The bird was doing its customary bobbing up and down standing against the river bank where it was only just discernible. I stopped and it seemed not to see me for it remained there for a good number of minutes, occasionally dipping its beak into the water to retrieve an insect or two. I crouched down for a better view, but then moved to gain my balance and when  I  looked up it was gone! I wasn't sure which direction it had flown but thought I'd continue along in the same direction as before and a little further along, I came across the dipper again.  During the next three quarters of an hour, I caught up with the dipper four or five times, each occasion being able to watch it as it searched for food. Sometimes, it would just dip its head in the water, at other times paddle or 'bathe' , and occasionally dive completely under water for a few seconds before coming up out again. 

dipper is on the branches in the river

FROSTY FOREST BUT BEAUTIFUL BIRDS

 I spent most of today in the Forest of Dean, visiting the usual sites in and around Parkend. It was cold  again so I needed my 5 layers but the frost had hardened the ground making it easier to walk on than on soft mud in some places.

I drew a blank with hawfinches at Crown Lane, Parkend,  but it was rather late in the morning and  the little lane was busy with pedestrians and cars. In between though, using my car as a 'hide', I saw greenfinches, chaffinches, nuthatch and coal tits all frequently coming down to feed on the ground under the yews, 

At Nagshead rspb I walked up to the raised Campbell hide, stopping amongst the holly bushes to see if any firecrests might be about but saw none. The hide was empty but from it I had some nice views of various small birds pecking around the edge of the pond, and a coal tit and nuthatch fed upside down close to the hide windows. I did catch a ten-second glimpse of a redpoll on a branch but it flew off before I could get my camera poised and it didn't return. 

Next stop was Cannop Ponds where I can usually be assured of finding mandarin ducks. The water was frozen to a great extent so I walked along the path around the lake, until I found a few mandarins nestled under some reeds and branches. I walked back across the ornamental bridge and then found a pair out in the open, but it wasn't long before they grew wary and flew off. 

My last visit was for a walk at Woorgreen Nature reserve. I was looking for crossbills, siskins or redpolls but didn't see or hear any. However, I did hear and see a couple of ravens flying across the heath.. 

By now the light was beginning to fade as clouds appeared so I decided to call it a day. Hopefully I'll be back to see the summer migrants i.e. flycatchers and redstarts which are regular visitors to Nagshead. 

view from hide at Nagshead rspb

WINTER AT COATE WATER

 My original intention was to head for Rodborough Common  straight after work to see some waxwings but when I  reached Cirencester  I found the road to Stroud was closed. A diversion was in place but didn't show on my google maps, so not knowing how long the diversion would be , and with limited time, I decided to head back and continue on the A419 then turn off for Coate Water.

It was still pretty chilly so I was glad of the extra layers I'd put on, but otherwise the winter sunshine contributed to a very pleasant afternoon's walk around the largely frozen lake. 

I took the anti-clockwise route, passing the resident  black swan amongst scores of ducks and geese as I did so, then followed the path through the trees, along the roadside and then back into the woodland until I reached a clearing. This is a good spot for watching the woodland bird species, as there are a couple of feeders plus a large log which provides a good photographic point. There were already various small birds around, and I put some peanuts and seeds on the log. They soon attracted a variety of birds - blue tits, great tits, dunnock, robin, magpie, nuthatch and, to my delight, a couple of jays.  I stood close to a tree to try to break up my profile, but was only about ten feet away from the log where the birds were coming in to feed. I have often seen jays in the woodland around the area but never seen them come in close for food before. 

 Continuing along the path, I veered off into the woodland for a short stretch where the path runs parallel to the original one, but is less frequented by walkers and dogs. I re-joined the lake path  and crossed the bridge where I stopped for a while. The lake was frozen in the centre so birds were congregating nearer the edge, including a couple of female goosanders. They came quite close to the edge of the water but then retreated to where the ice started, one of them deciding to rest on the ice . A young heron flew past and landed on the path  further around the lake, whilst on the opposite side I spotted a distant great white egret in the bushes below the heronry.