10-30 June 2008 Sightings and Blog

Common Kingfisher at the WWT South Finger nest site MJM

Southern Hawker at the WWT South Lake MJM

30 June 2008 I spent most of the day mowing in the tractor at work and discovered a few dragonflies. A Southern Hawker showed well for me along the back track of the South Lake. I also found two Scarce Chasers, along the back ditch of the South Lake. This follows the one I saw in early June which was a reserve first so this is the second. The Kingfishers did a nest change, they are on their second clutch. Again I counted 11 Green Sandpiper around the scrapes, they are very mobile.

29 June 2008 Back to work at WWT Slimbridge where my personal highlight was seeing two fledged Redshank among a flock of 43 on the Top New Piece. A single Dunlin here and 8 on the estuary at high tide showed return passage was at least beginning.

Atlantic Puffin at the Wick, Skomer
(he is saying, you should have come with Anser!)

27-28 June 2008 A couple of days in Pembrokeshire with seven keen Anser birders! Despite some gusty winds we got onto Skomer Island (nice to see ex WWT Slimbridge vol Chris working on the island) and visited some of Pembrokeshire’s best sites and had some great birding. We also called in at the WWT National Wetland Centre of Wales on the way home. A trip report is being prepared on the relevant page.

26 June 2008 Increasing numbers of Green Sandpiper (11) at WWT and flocks of wing moulting Black-tailed Godwit and Redshank. The DB Brent was still on the Knott Pool with a pair of nesting Little Grebe and Little Egret.

24-25 June 2008 Nothing doing but laying out with a stinking cold! Not a good month for health.

23 June 2008 A little bit of birding at WWT today, all sightings are on the WWT website including our first Coal Tit of the year, JSL had a juvenile at the South Finger. This caused a stir and got a few folk looking for it as a number of people are closing in on 200 species for the WWT recording area. James has T-shirts being prepared with WWT Slimbridge 200 Club depicted, I believe it will be an Aquatic Warbler logo. You can buy one but you are not allowed to wear it until you have seen 200 on the reserve. I should have had one 16 years ago! I did see the two Egyptian Geese, the DB Brent and a Green Sandpiper around the Holden Tower.

22 June 2008 Highlights included a Yellow-legged Gull on the estuary, the two Cattle Egrets on the Dumbles along with the Ring-billed Gull (Jeremy Squire has never seen these two species at WWT, will they hang on to the 10 July!) Biggest miss was not being at the S Finger whilst Graeme (or Graham) Cox was watching Otter with 2 cubs, thanks to him for reporting it to us so quickly.

21 June 2008 A poor forecast saw the postponing of the Rare Breeding birds day out.

19-20 June 2008 Very little birding.

18 June 2008 A late afternoon visit to Ashleworth Ham GWT and Coombe Hill GWT where the highlight was seeing a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker fly out of the willows near Grundon Hide.

17 June 2008 A reserve managers conference for three days and I was delighted to add Black Hairstreak to my Otmoor, Oxfordshire and British list, Hobby, Marsh Harrier and reeling Grasshopper Warbler also seen.

10-16 June 2008 A very succesful Anser trip to Iceland. A full trip report to follow soon on the relevant section.

Me at the duckfest 2008 site, Lake Myvatn image by SJDark.