Is Slimbridge wetlands the Mecca of bird spotting in the Uk?😄 (2 Viewers)

[She’ll not av feathers on]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1795483220349505816

See the above post from Twitter

Holy Jesus.

I don’t think I can get there for that early. I’ll be saying some little prayers to the birding gods tonight that it’s still there tomorrow afternoon! 🥰😊

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

Well. I made my way there today. Got to say I was initially disappointed with what I experienced. Flamingoes, an enclosed aviary and hundreds of kids running round screaming like nutters. I said to the Mrs that it’s not a nature reserve, it’s a playground for kids with a few gimmick birds thrown in to justify charging the 20 quid entrance fee.

I eventually managed to get through the African zone/adventure playground to the kingfisher hide and got a great view of it. My first ever sight of one and it sat on a branch perfectly still for as long as we were there. Also got to see a reed bunting for the first time and a male deer which I think was a Roe.

After walking through the hoards of screaming kids again I set off for the bird hides at the other side of the reserve and finally got to do some proper birding. The tower hide is a great vantage point even if there wasn’t a huge amount of birds out in front of me. I then did the walk to the hide where the blue throat was reported as being seen and as soon as I got there I saw very briefly what I think may have been him. Perched on a large purposefully placed branch but then flew off in the next blink of an eye.

There was a Cetti’s warbler singing in and around the willow hide also. If I’d known prior to checking my book later on how rare they are I would of made more of an effort to see it as well.

I’ve no doubt it’s a brilliant place to go and do some proper birding in the hides of the summer walk. But half term isn’t the time to do it!

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Glad you at least glimpsed the Bluethroat. No sign of Cranes?

 

[Farnboro John]

Well. I made my way there today. Got to say I was initially disappointed with what I experienced. Flamingoes, an enclosed aviary and hundreds of kids running round screaming like nutters. I said to the Mrs that it’s not a nature reserve, it’s a playground for kids with a few gimmick birds thrown in to justify charging the 20 quid entrance fee.

I eventually managed to get through the African zone/adventure playground to the kingfisher hide and got a great view of it. My first ever sight of one and it sat on a branch perfectly still for as long as we were there. Also got to see a reed bunting for the first time and a male deer which I think was a Roe.

After walking through the hoards of screaming kids again I set off for the bird hides at the other side of the reserve and finally got to do some proper birding. The tower hide is a great vantage point even if there wasn’t a huge amount of birds out in front of me. I then did the walk to the hide where the blue throat was reported as being seen and as soon as I got there I saw very briefly what I think may have been him. Perched on a large purposefully placed branch but then flew off in the next blink of an eye.

There was a Cetti’s warbler singing in and around the willow hide also. If I’d known prior to checking my book later on how rare they are I would of made more of an effort to see it as well.

I’ve no doubt it’s a brilliant place to go and do some proper birding in the hides of the summer walk. But half term isn’t the time to do it!

Cetti's Warbler isn't rare in the South of England any more and even "scarce and local" is not as true as it used to be. It's annual - more than one bird wintering and some spring territory holding at least - in my local area where it used to be a massive local rarity. Easier to hear than see though!

John

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

Glad you at least glimpsed the Bluethroat. No sign of Cranes?

Not from any of the hides I went in mate no. But I wasn’t actually there that long and in any particular hide for more than half an hour.

If I was to visit again I’d make sure it was during the colder winter months when the kids are back at school.

 

[Patudo]

did you see any hobbies? The area looks like great habitat for them, and good god I wish we had a viewing tower in Walthamstow Wetlands or a couple of places I've watched them!

(sotto voce) they're not bovvered about screaming kids (or screaming adults) for that matter. I'll never forget going to see a pair that were nesting in a SE London park during the Covid year, with the area below the nesting tree absolutely rammed with people doing all the usual London summer park stuff, including playing music. I've also seen juveniles catching insects over the Serpentine in wonderful sunset light, completely unnoticed by the many parkgoers around the lake.

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

No sadly no hobbies. Lot of Hobbo families though😅

 

[seawatcher]

Slimbridge is pricey and the range of (wild) species present is restricted in winter, more or less nothing in summer.

John

More or less nothing (wild) in the summer?? Take it you haven't been to Slimbridge in summer? I have been loads of times, most often in summer. Some of my best birding moments have been when visiting in summer. Plenty to see, especially in the wild areas. Don't agree with the statement that the range of (wild) species is restricted in winter, because that is when most of the winer specialities (wildfowl and waders) are present.
Not pricey at all - £18 goes to a very good cause. I'd rather pay £18 for a good day at Slimbridge than waste my hard-earned dough on something which I find is meaningless. If you go often, then join WWT. And join WWT anyway - they do a good job.

 

[Farnboro John]

More or less nothing (wild) in the summer?? Take it you haven't been to Slimbridge in summer? I have been loads of times, most often in summer. Some of my best birding moments have been when visiting in summer. Plenty to see, especially in the wild areas. Don't agree with the statement that the range of (wild) species is restricted in winter, because that is when most of the winer specialities (wildfowl and waders) are present.
Not pricey at all - £18 goes to a very good cause. I'd rather pay £18 for a good day at Slimbridge than waste my hard-earned dough on something which I find is meaningless. If you go often, then join WWT. And join WWT anyway - they do a good job.

There are thousands of better places to see both wildfowl and waders (especially waders!) in Britain than Slimbridge that cost nothing at all, not to mention the reserves that have their own entry fees. In winter there are a few species at Slimbridge that you can with luck get really good views of: White-fronted Goose is the principal one. If you aren't after Whitefronts you are better off in Norfolk or Kent or my own county of Hampshire and paying (if anybody) the RSPB via your membership when you want to go to one of their many reserves.

Likewise summer. I've got my own Kingfisher sites to visit that don't charge me a fortune to get in: there are nearer and better places to get views of summer migrant warblers and hirundines and summer plumage waders.

Back when the winter geese at Slimbridge were measured in thousands not dozens and they carried vagrant Lesserfronts, it was a place to visit each winter. It isn't any more unless you hope to get good close views of Whitefronts.

In these days of bird flu, I'm no longer convinced that attracting wild swans (or geese and ducks) into a small area and feeding them in an even smaller one is in any way a good idea. I think it would be better for them and for conservation generally if our wintering Whoopers and decreasing Bewick's Swans wintered in small parties spread out across the UK rather than concentrated at a few pay-per-view sites.

John

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

More or less nothing (wild) in the summer?? Take it you haven't been to Slimbridge in summer? I have been loads of times, most often in summer. Some of my best birding moments have been when visiting in summer. Plenty to see, especially in the wild areas. Don't agree with the statement that the range of (wild) species is restricted in winter, because that is when most of the winer specialities (wildfowl and waders) are present.
Not pricey at all - £18 goes to a very good cause. I'd rather pay £18 for a good day at Slimbridge than waste my hard-earned dough on something which I find is meaningless. If you go often, then join WWT. And join WWT anyway - they do a good job.

£18 isn’t pricey?? If you’re looking at taking a couple of kids there for the day then it’s £60 before they start pestering you for sweet and crisps or a go on the canoe safari or pay to feed the otters or whatever other shite they try to fleece you for!

And even if you’re just going on your own… £18 for limited/small hides and not a huge variety of species during the summer months. £18 is frankly taking the mick!

I went to Attenborough nature reserve at Nottingham today and in under 20 minutes at the tower hide picked up 14 different species on my Merlin and was able to get eyes on 5 of them! Cost me £4 to park the car and could of stayed all day for that!

 

[Andy Hurley]

Most western European countries that I have visited don't charge entry to National Parks, nature reserves etc. I can't remember having to pay a direct charge. In some places there is a spa tax on overnight accommodation, but visiting nature is free. Although I don't live in the UK, when I do visit, I renew my RSPB membership for the year that I do go. The same for Canada and the US. I get an annual pass for their National Parks. It works out cheaper if you want to visit a few.

 

[JTweedie]

Haha sorry John. I’ll mind my P’s and Qs in future!

Was at Attenborough again today. Sadly I forgot my pocket guide so unable to identify what were 2 new sights for me. Pretty sure it was greenfinch and chaffinch though! Sadly still no kingfisher!

Will keep trying😊

I saw my one and only Bittern (so far) at Attenborough. Had literally just got into the hide and there it was. That's how I like my birding.

Had a great time at the reserve walking around with a colleague who lived not far off from here. Cetti's Warblers too which I don't get where I am.

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

I saw my one and only Bittern (so far) at Attenborough. Had literally just got into the hide and there it was. That's how I like my birding.

Had a great time at the reserve walking around with a colleague who lived not far off from here. Cetti's Warblers too which I don't get where I am.

The tower hide at Attenborough is absolutely fantastic to see and hear all sorts of different birds from! It’s probably given me my happiest times! Practically every time I’ve been to Attenborough I’ve seen something new or heard something different.