Slimbridge fix......

9 Nov - An early morning visit to WWT, always good to go in before general opening, and the first Bewick's Swan of the winter has arrived. A good morning for raptors - a male Sparrowhawk perched in the hedge from Martin Smith hide, also Buzzard and a flyby Peregrine seen, and a Kingfisher made a brief stopover on the post that has been erected to entice them into view. A good number of waders on the Top New Piece including Golden Plovers, Blackwits and Snipe, with Curlews on the Tack Piece. Not much time so no visit to South Lake and Zeiss. Good numbers of winter duck now building up. En route home I detoured through Winstone to look for the Golden Plover flock that is usually around this area (but mobile), and I had a real bonus in the shape of a male Merlin that flew close to the car hunting the fields, then perched up more distantly in an oak - nice views of the blue/grey colouration and compact size. A 3-falcon morning!