Wednesday 01 January 2025 – Slimbridge Leaders: Di Bunniss and Graham Blacker

Five adventurous birders ignored the amber weather warnings to meet at Slimbridge for the first BOC gathering of 2025. We made a dry start in the Peng Observatory where we had excellent views of beautiful Pintail and many noisy Bewick’s Swans. In the Rushy hide we managed to get brilliant views of a Spoonbill feeding, sweeping its bill from side to side. From there, we also saw a Black Swan and a lone Curlew with two leg tags. The second significant spot of the day was a Water Rail in the company of a Moorhen. The bird feeders were proving to be attractive to Blue Tit, Great Tit and Chaffinch with Robin and Dunnock on the ground below. We enjoyed a coffee in the
Kingfisher Kitchen where the land outside is being transformed into a new Estuary Zone. Three of us then called it a day whilst two continued to the Kingfisher Hide where they saw Little Stint, Ringed and Golden Plover, two Snipe and a Marsh Harrier. A total of some 37 species. Thanks to Graham and Di for leading. Alison Hooper