Slimbridge....then a Glossy Ibis in Wilts

28 Aug - A morning visit to Slimbridge for the high tide on the river, and 13 species of wader seen altogether - 1 Little Stint on the estuary with the Dunlin and Ringed Plover, also there 2 Greenshank, 15 Sanderling and 10 Knot. A Ruff and a Green Sandpiper on the pools, and on South Lake 56 Black-tailed Godwits, with a Spotted Redshank and 3 Redshanks.
En route home I received a call about a Glossy Ibis at a private site in North Wilts - an hour later I was watching it (photo, JM) feeding and preening - an excellent county tick. Also there - a Little Ringed Plover and 2 Common Sandpipers. My Wilts list is now 228 - a good thing I interrupted my Scottish trip.

Kittiwake at Farmoor

21 Aug - A quick visit to Farmoor after work gave good views of the juvenile Kittiwake present since yesterday along the causeway - my first ever in Wilts or Oxon and my 14th Gull species for Farmoor! Photo, copyright Adam Hartley.

Ospreys and Waders at Rutland

20 Aug - Up to 5 juvenile Ospreys seen in Manton Bay, Rutland Water, after a visit to the Birdfair. Their fishing prowess seems rather low at present.....photo, courtesy Rutland Osprey website. A few waders also seen - 6 Ruff, 30 Black-tailed Godwits, 8 Snipe, a Green and a Common Sandpiper - and Greenshanks heard calling. Also seen, 3 Little Egrets and 2 Black Terns.

Baird's Sandpiper

7 Aug - A morning visit to Notts en route to other commitments gave good views of the adult Baird's Sandpiper at Lound - with a Dunlin for comparison. Slender, long-winged and short-tailed, black legs and medium slightly decurved bill. The photo, copyright Roy Harvey, shows it with Lapwings for comparison. The image above is from birdguides.com.
En route home, 4 Red Kites and a Hobby were seen over Otmoor.

Red Kites Galore

5 Aug - During the course of a fairly short Butterfly trip to Aston Rowant, SE Oxon, I saw no less then 21 Red Kites, including 5 together en route over Didcot. Several were in moult and rather tatty. For comparison, I saw 1 Buzzard and no other raptors! A Raven flew over Aston Rowant calling, a fairly rare bird this far east.