Evesham and District

There was a bit of a buzz around Slimbridge when we arrived as there had been a Black-winged Kite seen in the area in the previous two days. This sighting is what twitchers refer to as a Mega – it was only the second one seen in Britain. Passing through the reserve we met the wardens and some volunteer who had been looking for it, but to no avail. However, just in case, we started our birding by heading out towards the Middle Point on the Summer Walkway. I don’t believe any of our previous outings had taken us there, but it was a very pleasant walk in the sun and a chance to get to near the estuary mudbanks as the tide receded. We stopped off to look at the Rushy Pen to see good views of waders, before walking out beside the estuary wall. The early sun went behind the clouds reducing the heat haze, so we could get good, if distant views of flocks of Ringed Plover, Curlew and Dunlin with a lone unexpected Knot. A Spotted Redshank was in a pool just by the Estuary Tower and Cranes could be seen out on the Dumbles.

We moved on to the Zeiss hide for views across Top New Piece. Three Spoonbills were asleep on an island but frustratingly, seldom raised their heads so we could see their extraordinary bills. It was from here that we saw the Tundra Bean Goose (of unknown origin) that was alone but near Greylags for a good comparison. South lake provided views of a flock of Black-tailed Godwits and a lone Avocet as well as a few diving ducks, before we set off for home to miss the bank holiday traffic.

It was a very breezy and cloudy evening in the Forest of Dean and despite the forecast the wind didn’t drop during the evening. So, we were a little anxious that this may not be good weather for nightjar spotting. We arrived at the site between Haywood and Edgehills Plantations and just a few birds could be heard above the noise of the rustling trees; a tree pipit, song thrush, blackbird and dunnock. However, at 21.43 we heard our first nightjars churring, at least two birds on separate sides of the path. It wasn’t long before we had a tantalisingly brief glimpse of one fly over us. We picked out a different call which turned out to be the nightjar’s flight call, but if the bird didn’t get above the treeline the light was too poor to see it. Patience was rewarded with many later flyovers, with birds sometimes hovering bedside us. At 22.30 it was too dark to continue so we made our way back to the cars.

Some of the party had possible distant sightings of woodcock, but the trip was all about nightjars and they didn’t disappoint. So, no bird list this time and I doubt anybody managed photos in the light of dusk.

It was a cold and windy day at Camp Lane Pits, Grimley. Amazingly the air was full of migrating swallows swooping over the water, with the occasional house martin amongst them. We wondered what they were finding to eat in those cool conditions. There was a flock of lapwing that rose up and flew around before settling again. There was also a very brief dunlin, plus snipe and two rather elusive black-tailed godwits. There were of course ducks on the water which included good numbers of shoveler and wigeon, as well as little and great-crested grebes and a great white egret.

Slimbridge, as always, provided a good day's birding, but also a challenge or two. The first was to find an eclipse plumage garganey that had been see on the Rushy, and it was only with the help of a WWT staff member that we succeeded, for the duck in question was asleep with its head tucked in! We were also trying to find greenshank out on the estuary, but unfortunately we failed in that challenge. There were however, plenty of other wading birds, particularly two spotted redshanks, ruffs and a number of green sandpipers scattered around the pools. Other highlights included two spoonbills, a water rail and a yellow-legged gull.