Slimbridge revisited........

30 Nov - A visit to WWT in showery weather with some sun. After a short wait, an excellent view of one of the Bitterns from Zeiss Hide, with the bird emerging slowly from the reed channel into the area of cut reeds, and behaving in classic reptilian Bittern-like fashion, freezing among the reeds and extending its snake-like neck as it moved slowly and methodically. Again, stunning views of this usually cryptic and secretive species. Also the usual impressive spectacle of Slimbridge in winter - Bewick’s Swans nimbers slowly building, large numbers of waders - Golden Plover, Knot and Snipe, as well as Water Rails under the feeders at the Willow Hide.

Wildlife Photography Hides.....

26-27 Nov - A very successful couple of days in Tom Robinson’s hides at Bourne in west Lincolnshire. The pond hide gave excellent close views of a male Kingfisher, as well as a male Sparrowhawk. The Dyke hide the following day was a day-long vigil, after a wait I had the first of 3 visits from a male Green Woodpecker that gave prolonged views both perched and feeding on the ground. Also, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker, Another perched and hunting male Sparrowhawk, plus Jays and flyover Red Kite and Buzzard. The finale, a Tawny Owl by flashlight, perched on a stone wall. An excellent couple of days......

Blakehill Murk

25 Nov - A look in at Blakehill before dark, during a brief break in the incessant rain. The Short-eared Owl was perched up rather fornlornly on a post, trying to dry out but looking rather bedraggled. Also winter Thrushes dropping in to roost.

Twitcher’s / Eysey

24 Nov - The Marsh Harrier seen hunting over the scrape and adjacent reeds at lunchtime, with good numbers of Wigeon and Teal, and also a drake Shoveler on Pit 74, with Cetti’s Warbler and Water Rail heard. At Eysey, a reasonably large flock of 41 Common Pochard, 34 Lapwing, and 2 Shovelers.

Murky Shorncote

An afternoon visit in gloomy November weather, a Water Rail seen briefly from the second Hide and several more heard. Cetti’s Warblers singing and 3 Little Egrets on the floods. The Barn Owl emerged about 4.25pm from the old Willows.

Once Bittern twice happy......

21 Nov - Another trip to Slimbridge and vigil from the Zeiss Hide, as Bittern sightings have been frequent this week on a daily basis. After an hour or so, a snake-like head emerged briefly from the sedges beyond the reedbed, then promptly disappeared again. After an hour or so of scanning in suspense, a movement on the edge of the channel in front of the hide signalled the arrival of the Bittern at close quarters, which then proceeded to feed stealthily at the reed edge and give really good views for 10-15 minutes, half-concealing itself behind any available vegetation, while it moved in reptilian fashion, stretching its neck and then stalking through the cut reeds. Another Bittern then appeared to the right of the hide, this one was more concealed but it was fascinating to watch it clambering in the reeds in slow motion, freezing and neck-stretching when alarmed. They really are amazing birds.

Owls........

19 Nov - Another look at the Cotswolds later in the day, cold but dry weather, Barn Owls and a Short-eared Owl seen late afternoon but not prior to dusk despite the chilly weather, so no good light for the camera......

A good Gloucestershire day

18 Nov - A beautiful calm sunny early winter's day, the first for a while. I first headed to Slimbridge, my main aim being to look for Bittern/s which had been seen well over the weekend. I went to Zeiss hide, and after an hour or so the bird was seen in flight (but not by me) and then proceeded to walk along the edge of the reeds, disappear, then emerge and fly towards Kingfisher hide. I hot-footed it there, to be told I had just missed the bird....... but my instinct told me to watch the opposite edge of the reedbed, and after a couple of minutes I saw the Bittern emerge from the reed edge only a few metres away, and stealthily move along the edge of the reed-fringed water right in front of the hide, amazing to see its slightly reptilian, snake-like movements, beady red eye appearing to look right into the hide as it moved along, then raised its neck skywards, then moved back the way it had come, all the while giving brilliant views, only marred from the photographic point of view by the wire fenceline in front of the bird! There are at least 2 Bitterns on site at the moment, and they are being seen frequently, probably because they are sorting out their winter territories. From Robbie Garnett hide, beautiful views of 16 newly-arrived Bewick's Swans, calling and sparring as the family groups settled in for the winter. The call note is wild and evocative of the North. Several Snipe on view around the reserve, plus impressive numbers of Knot and Blackwits on the New Piece. Teal and Shoveler now in breeding plumage and looking very smart. Next stop Frampton, where the usual Tawny Owl was tucked up to roost in a tree hollow in the sunlight. Finally, two more Owl species in the Cotswolds - 3 Barn Owls and 2 Short-eared Owls, not seen til just after sunset when the light was fading, but a great end to the day. So nice to get a really fine winter day with crisp low sunlight, despite the chilly temperatures.

Whooper Swan

17 Nov - Good views this afternoon of a lone Whooper Swan with approximately 20 Mutes in the riverside fields on the Wiltshire side of the Thames at Lechlade. This area usually has 1 or 2 Whoopers with the winter Swan flock, but they can be very mobile around the area, especially with the current amount of flooding along the river. At Eysey, a nice flock of 50+ Golden Plovers with the Lapwings on the new excavations, also several Snipe.

The ghost of Winter......

13 Nov - A speculative late afternoon/dusk visit to Blakehill to scan the plateau, and its long grass, for winter visitors and in particular one charismatic species that has graced the area with its presence over the last several winters - I kept scanning as it got darker and towards the critical hour - and then, as the light faded well after sunset, there it was, the floppy, slightly bouncing and elastic wingbeats of a Short-eared Owl, hopefully back for the winter. It quartered the grassland until the light faded. The streaked brownish plumage, and paler underwings (but not the facial disc) were just visible in the gloaming. Hopefully better views, and in better light, later in the winter. Interestingly, last year's wintering bird also arrived in mid-November. Nationally, quite good numbers of this species have been recorded arriving from the east, so we will see if any other birds arrive at Blakehill.

Forest winter magic ......

12 Nov - A detour to the Forest of Dean en route to a study day, and a beautiful sunrise as I walked up to the clearing with only a watchful Fallow Deer for company. After scanning the open areas and the isolated bushes and trees, I saw the Great Grey Shrike perched in the morning sun, seemingly having just emerged form its roost. The Shrike then flew to the top of a nearby tree and proceeded to give very good views on the early morning sun as it scanned the clearing, presumably for potential prey. This bird has returned once again to a traditional site for the winter, and its black, white and grey plumage looked incredibly smart in the clear low winter sunlight. To complete the morning, 5 Crossbills flew over as I walked back to the car and headed off for work.

Odds and Ends.........

10 Nov - A brief stop at Twitcher's Gate today was well-timed, as the fem Marsh Harrier appeared over the reeds at the east end of the scrape. A much calmer and brighter day to encourage it out to hunt, after yesterday's rain. Also of note on the last few days, 4 Lapwings and a Mistle Thrush over the garden.

Shorncote patch

9 Nov - An early morning visit, briefly sunny and frosty before the rain set in for the day..... A lot of bird activity, including good numbers of Redwings and Fieldfares erupting from the berry-laden bushes, Kingfisher, Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 3 Grey Wagtails, Green Woodpecker, a pair of Shoveler, Little and Great Crested Grebes, 3 Goldcrests, a Stonechat, 6-8 singing Cetti's Warblers, and best of all 6-8 Water Rail calling, with at least 4 heard in the new cut area in front of hide 2, and one emerged briefly into the open to cross a channel and allow itself to be photographed..... 2 Cetti's also seen from the hide. Promising! After a beautiful, chilly, misty start the weather deteriorated steadily and rain set in as forecast. Also 7 Roe Deer seen in the low early sunlight.

Blakehill, autumn into winter

7 Nov - A couple of visits to Blakehill this week, and the most striking change in the last couple of weeks is the arrival of good numbers of winter Thrushes. Several hundred Fieldfares and Redwings today, very mobile and flighty around the hawthorns and berry bushes but always wary. Also the usual pair of Stonechats, with several Reed Buntings and a more unusual ( here at least) male Yellowhammer.

Slimbridge fix after a while .....

6 Nov - My first Slimbridge trip for a few weeks, as the centre itself was closed due to roadworks on the access road. Very pleasing to see the first 3 Bewick's Swans of the winter on the Rushy first thing, and to think of the amazing return trip to Arctic Russia that they've completed since they were last here. Also a good showing of Geese, with 8 Pinkfeet on the Dumbles and 20 Whitefronts from Zeiss Hide. Wader numbers are really building up, with large flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover out over the foreshore. Other waders present included Ruff, Redshank, a large flock of Dunlin, Curlew, and good numbers of Knot with the usual Black-tailed Godwit flock on South Lake, plus quite a few cryptic Snipe hiding in the grass around the reserve. The duck are coming out of eclipse now into their smart winter pre-breeding plumage, with good numbers of Shoveler in particular present on South Lake. A short vigil for the Bittern was unsuccessful but I'm sure it was somewhere in the reedbed ...........

Blakehill

4 Nov - A beautiful calm, slightly misty, late autumnal morning, and a lot of bird activity first thing - wary Fieldfares and Redwings diving into berry-laden Hawthorns, a pair of Stonechats calling and feeding, a couple of Reed Buntings with a few Goldfinches, a Grey Wagtail, and a passage of Meadow Pipits with Skylarks. Nothing out of the ordinary, just a lovely day to be out, and I always find it satisfying with the turn of the seasons to see good numbers of winter Thrushes arrive.

Waterlogged CWP

3 Nov - After all the recent rain, the River Thames is pretty high at the moment, and some paths/car parks around CWP are inaccessible. Birds have dispersed onto flooded fields, and this was the case at Shorncote this w/e, where, as well as my first Great White Egret for the Water Park this autumn, 12 Grey Herons were feeding on the floods, alongside a solitary Little Egret (I think most of the LEs are on North Meadow currently, with over 20 counted there in recent days). Also at Shorncote, 6-8 calling Water Rails, and increasing numbers of Teal, 4 flyover Snipe, a party of 21 Lapwings glowing in the sun, several hundred winter Thrushes (mainly Redwings) dropping in to roost, a pair of Stonechats, and at least 6 singing Cetti's Warblers. Also a calling Kingfisher and a pair of Ravens over - and, best of all, a pair of Barn Owls hunting after sunset, one coming very close to the path.