You can e-mail your records to me at GlosterBirder@gmail.com please also copy the County Recorder, Richard Baatsen at glos.bird.recorder@gmail.com. You can also use the form in the Contact menu.

In the absence of updates you can follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GlosterBirder or tweet your sightings on Twitter with #GlosBirds. Thank you

Please send your Dragonfly and Damselfly records with grid ref to Richard Mundy at mailto:glos.dragonflies@gmail.com

A Brief History of The Gloster Birder 2023

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Saturday 20th June 2026

North Cerney     2-3 QUAIL calling from the field next to the farm track on Chapel Lane this evening. (Dave Soons).

Hasfield Ham     Two QUAIL calling this afternoon. (Mike Smart).

Bourton Downs    At least two QUAIL calling in fields near the Downs this morning. (Sheep’s Head Nature).

WWT Slimbridge     From the Estuary Tower birds today included a SPOONBILL, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, two juvenile Stonechats, the Corn Bunting distantly and two BITTERNS briefly. (Paul Clark). A Green Sandpiper from Robbie Garnett hide. (Steve Rickard).

Saul Warth     At 6:30am low tide 46 Avocets, three Bar-tailed Godwits, 25 Curlews, four Oystercatchers, 285 Shelducks, two Little Egrets, four Cormorants, a Marsh Harrier, two Kestrels, 20 Stock Doves, two Swallows and a Grey Wagtail. (MK).

Haresfield     Opposite the garden centre this morning six Yellow Wagtails, two males and four juveniles, three Yellowhammers, five Greenfinches, six Skylarks, five Linnets, two Buzzards and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. (Steve Pullen).

Sapperton area     A walk from the Daneway Inn to Sapperton tunnel, Sapperton village and on to Daneway Banks today. At Sapperton, at least six Swifts, a Goldcrest, a Firecrest and a Blackcap. At Daneway Banks, three Large Blue butterflies and another nearby in Siccaridge woods. (John Holland).

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Friday 19th June 2026

North Cerney     A QUAIL calling next to the farm track gateway on Chapel Lane this morning again. (Dave Soons).

WWT Slimbridge    A CORN BUNTING distantly on a hedge two fields north from Estuary Tower this morning and a Grasshopper Warbler reeled briefly. (Oliver Paisey). A juvenile BITTERN showing on and off in the Knott hide reed bed from Estuary Tower this morning and the female BITTERN spent most of the morning in the reeds at Van de Bovenkamp hide. Three Green Sandpipers and a drake Wigeon from Martin Smith hide and a Scarce Chaser near the new Estuary Tower walkway gate. A Little Ringed Plover and 40 Black-tailed Godwits on South Lake. A Curlew and three Lapwings on the Tack Piece, including the leucistic bird, and 30 Lapwings and 22 Redshanks from Zeiss hide. A Jay flew north over the car park at 8am. (Oliver Paisey/Mike Davis/Steve Huggins/Les Ditchburn/MK).

Green Sandpipers by Mike King

Frampton     A female Cuckoo called a few times near Splatt Bridge this morning and a male calling from the other side of the canal. The Grasshopper Warbler was reeling again. (Steve Pullen).

Coombe Hill Meadows    This morning three Buzzards, a Red Kite, two Curlews, two Oystercatchers, two Redshanks, four Yellow Wagtails, three Reed Buntings, three Sedge Warblers, a Reed Warbler, two Redstarts and 6+ Skylarks. Also 6+ Emperor Dragonflies, 6+ Scarce Chasers, 6+ Black-tailed Skimmers and 4+ Broad-bodied Chasers. (Paul Clark).

Cotswold Water Park East     Seven Red Crested Pochards and a Cattle Egret flew by at Whelford Pools this afternoon. (Steve Huggins).

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Thursday 18th June 2026

North Cerney     A QUAIL calling from the field at the top of Chapel Lane, also three male Corn Buntings singing along the farm track to Conigree Woods. (Dave Soons).

WWT Slimbridge     The female BITTERN seen flying in and out of the Knott hide reedbed viewed from Estuary Tower and a juvenile BITTERN in the reedbed. Also today around the grounds a Mediterranean Gull, a male Marsh Harrier, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a leucistic Lapwing, a Dunlin, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Little Egret from Martin Smith hide and a juvenile Barn Owl showing in the nestbox from Kingfisher hide. (Oliver Paisey/Terry Grant/Martin Price/Terry Stevenson).

Saul Warth    10am-midday over high tide, quiet again, 260+ Shelducks including three ducklings, five Oystercatchers, 14 Curlews, two Buzzards, a Marsh Harrier, two Kestrels, eight Swallows and two Sand Martins. Eight species of butterfly today including Marbled White, Painted Lady and Small and Large Skipper. (MK).

Coombe Hill Meadows     A Hobby, a Green Woodpecker, a pair of Oystercatchers with two chicks, a Little Ringed Plover with two chicks, a Mute Swan with six cygnets. Also on site Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, Redstart and Lapwings. (Les Ditchburn).

Kingswood     In and from the garden today a family group of five Chiffchaffs passed through, five Kestrels, a Dipper, a Kingfisher and a few Hummingbird Hawk Moths. (Tom McCarthy).

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Wednesday 17th June 2026

Saul Warth     7-10am two Little Egrets, 20 Avocets, 11 Curlews, seven Oystercatchers, six Barnacle Geese flew S, 184 Shelducks including ten ducklings, a male Marsh Harrier, 14 Swallows and five Sand Martins. (MK).

Frampton     A Grasshopper Warbler reeling almost constantly for 20 minutes from the reeds at Splatt Bridge early this morning but not visible at all. (Steve Pullen). Around the Pools a Spotted Flycatcher, four Common Terns, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Lesser Whitethroat, four Whitethroats, 12 Chiffchaffs, 21 Blackcaps, five Oystercatchers, six Swifts, 100 Sand Martins, 24 Swallows, six House Martins, a Great White Egret, 35 Mute Swan and ten cygnets, 26 Greylags and four goslings, two Canada Geese and four goslings, eight Great Crested Grebes and one chick, 63 Coots and eight young, six Moorhens and one chick and Coal Tits with young. (Nick Goatman).

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Tuesday 16th June 2026

WWT Slimbridge     Two juvenile BITTERNS showing in the Knott hide reed bed viewed from the Estuary Tower. (Oliver Paisey).

Saul Warth     Early morning to high tide, fairly quiet, two Little Egrets, four Grey Herons, 30 Avocets, ten Curlews, a Bar-tailed Godwit, six Oystercatchers, 189 Shelducks including eight ducklings, a Marsh Harrier, two Kestrels, a Swallow and a Linnet. Also the first Marbled White and first patch dragonflies, two male Emperors. (MK).

Highnam     From from Highnam Court to Highnam Woods a Hobby, three Spotted Flycatchers, three Yellow Wagtails and a Nightingale heard calling and then seen briefly in the wood. Also a Spotted Flycatcher, a singing Yellowhammer near Lassington Wood and a Scarce Chaser at the Over canal. (Andy Jayne).

Minchinhampton     At Hampton Fields early this morning six Corn Buntings, five male Yellowhammers, 10+ Skylarks, 10+ Linnets, a Nuthatch and a Buzzard. (Steve Pullen).

Newent     A Spotted Flycatcher using a swallow cup  for its nest in a private wood today. (Alan Hooper/Rick Benson-Bunch).

Spotted Flycatcher by Alan Hooper

Rodborough Common     Meadow Pipits finding caterpillars and grasshoppers to feed their broods and Skylarks singing from the low hawthorns today. (Nigel Gardener).

Meadow Pipit by Nigel Gardener

Skylark by Nigel Gardener

Stroud     A Privet Hawk Moth in a private garden today. (Terry Grant).

Privet Hawk Moth by Terry Grant
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Monday 15th June 2026

Coombe Hill Meadows     Late news of a male PIED FLYCATCHER, the first for the reserve on the 13th, but no further sign that day or since. (Nick Hughes).

Pied Flycatcher by Nick Hughes

WWT Slimbridge     A QUAIL calling on the Dumbles this morning. (per Ian Hull).

Coombe Hill Meadows     This morning a QUAIL calling in the distance mid morning and later calling intermittently from the field between Broadmere and the towpath. Two Coots with a juvenile by the Wharf, a Curlew, two Yellow Wagtails, 3+ Sedge Warblers, 2+Whitethroats.2+ Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff and 3+ Reed Buntings. (Mike Smart/Ian Ralphs).

Tresham     A QUAIL calling again this evening. (Paul Rich). 9+ Red Kites, 15+ Corn Buntings and a Yellow Wagtail today. (Terry Grant).

Saul Warth     Early morning high tide two Little Egrets, three Grey Herons, 27 Avocets, six Curlews, five Oystercatchers, 209 Shelducks including 16 ducklings, a Marsh Harrier chased off patch by Oystercatchers, a Kestrel with rodent prey, 19 Stock Doves, 11 Swallows, two Sand Martins, six Skylarks and two male Reed Buntings. (MK).

Marsh Harrier chased by an Oystercatcher by Mike King

Tewkesbury     Along the Tewkesbury-Ashchurch cycle path a Garden Warbler seen and heard this morning. (Les Ditchburn).

Hardwicke     At the tanker bay just N of The Pilot Inn at 5am a Tawny Owl flew over. Later a Cetti’s Warbler calling, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Sparrowhawk, a Kingfisher, two Chiffchaffs and a Whitethroat. (Julian Long).

Frampton     A Cuckoo heard, the Ross’s Goose and the Bar-headed x Snow Goose hybrid on Court Lake. Also a Common Tern at Splatt Bridge. (Sarah Townsend).

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Sunday 14th June 2026

Saul Warth     Early morning at high tide three Little Egrets, five Grey Herons, 20 Avocets, 29 Curlews, five Oystercatchers, 158 Shelducks +9 ducklings, a female Mandarin on the river with Mallards, a flock of nine Cormorants flew S, two Common Terns flew high N, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk chased by a Mistle Thrush, both scarce in summer, a Cuckoo heard, six Swallows, two Sand Martins, four Skylarks and two Grey Wagtails. (MK).

Mandarin by Mike King

Skylark by Mike King

Roel Hill     From Roel Hill Farm to Hawling and back via Roel Gate four Corn Buntings, a pair of Redstarts and a third singing nearby, two Swifts, six House Martins, three singing Greenfinches in the village, two Buzzards, three Red Kites, a Tree Pipit singing near Roel Gate, several Yellowhammers and Whitethroats singing throughout the area. Also two Muntjacs and a Stoat playing with a dead Field Vole. (Steve Brown).

Wontley Farm area     East of Cleeve Common today between West Down car park and Wontley Farm, a pair of Redstarts, a pair of Stonechats and a Spotted Flycatcher. Butterfly species seen included Common Blue, Small Heath, Large Skipper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown and a Yellow Shell moth. (Keith White).

Standish     A Spotted Flycatcher at 3pm in St Nicholas Churchyard. Also a Goldcrest, a Goldfinch, two Chaffinches and a Song Thrush. (Mil Petkovic).

Spotted Flycatcher by Mil Petkovic

Rodborough Common     Three Ravens flew over at 2pm, one of them calling. (Mil Petkovic). Also a Large Blue butterfly on the Common today. (Duncan Dine).

Large Blue by Duncan Dine

Elmore Court     At the rewilding site this afternoon a Spotted Flycatcher, three Cattle Egrets and six Stonechats (4 juvs). (Steve Pullen).

Cattle Egret by Steve Pullen

Guscar Rocks/Aylburton Warth     WeBS count this morning birds included two Canada Geese, 36 Shelducks including 20 ducklings, four Mallards, three Grey Herons, three Oystercatchers, 30 Curlews, three Black-tailed Godwits, four Dunlins, eight Redshanks, 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 5+ Skylarks, 5+ Meadow Pipits, 3+ Reed Warblers, two Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, 94 Carrion Crows and 2+ Reed Buntings. (Mike Smart).

Bisley     Four Goldfinches, six House Martins, three Red Kites, a Buzzard and 60+ Rooks this afternoon. (John Fletcher).

Red Kite by John Fletcher

Frampton     At Court Lake this afternoon a Cuckoo calling and seen well flying around between the islands and trees surrounding the lake. Good views of Reed Warblers in reed beds on the side of the lake, two Oystercatchers flew over and a Curlew calling unseen. Also the usual Tufted Ducks, Barnacle Geese, Greylags, Mute Swans with cygnets and Coots. (Jeff Wheeler).

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Saturday 13th June 2026

Saul Warth     At 8:15am a STORM PETREL over the river between Hock Ditch and Awre. Early morning at high tide a SPOONBILL, four Little Egrets, four Grey Herons, 22 Avocets, 22 Curlews, four Oystercatchers, 55 Shelducks and nine ducklings, two Barnacle Geese, six Swallows and the first Small Tortoiseshell, which has become very scarce over the last couple of years. (MK).

Spoonbill by Mike King

Sharpness     A STORM PETREL, presumably the Saul bird, going down on the tide at 9am. (Paul Rich/Andy Jordan).

Storm Petrel by Andy Jordan

WWT Slimbridge     An OSPREY from Zeiss hide seen flying S at 10:45am. (Catherine Ponting per Mike Davis).

Tresham     A QUAIL calling early afternoon. (Paul Rich).

Haresfield     Opposite the garden centre 6-7am, two pairs of Yellow Wagtails, one pair with at least two fledglings, three singing Yellowhammers, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Peregrine on the incinerator. (Steve Pullen).

Coombe Hill Meadows     WeBS count this morning birds included four Mute Swans with five cygnets, three Greylags, an Egyptian Goose, 49 Mallards with several broods, four drake Gadwalls, male and female Teal, a drake Wigeon, a drake Pintail, a female Shoveler with at least eight ducklings, a Curlew, a pair of Oystercatchers with three chicks, eight Lapwings with two chicks, six Redshanks and one chick, a Little Ringed Plover, three Great White Egrets, six Grey Herons, including fledged young, a Cormorant, two Black-headed Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, five Reed Warblers, a Reed Bunting, a Sedge Warbler and five Yellow Wagtails. (Ian Ralphs).

Ashleworth Ham     WeBS count today three Mute Swans, a pair of Greylags with four goslings, a pair of Shelducks with five ducklings, 20 Mallards, a Grey Heron, a Little Egret, a Coot, a Lapwing, two Curlews, 5+ Skylarks, a Redstart, 3+ Sedge Warblers, 3+ Whitethroats, two Blackcaps and 2+ Reed Buntings. (Mike Smart).

Cobney Meadows     Ten Cattle Egrets, mostly adults in breeding plumage, a Little Egret, a Coot, a pair of Yellow Wagtails, 3+ Skylarks, two Sedge Warblers, two Whitethroats and a Chiffchaff. (Mike Smart).

Leigh Meadows    Four Mallards, a Grey Heron, three Sedge Warblers, two Ravens and two Reed Buntings today. (Mike Smart).

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Friday 12th June 2026

Sharpness     A STORM PETREL at 7pm on the river halfway between the picnic site and the pill. (Oliver Paisey).

WWT Slimbridge     From Estuary Tower two BITTERNS in the pillbox reedbed to the left of the hide at 9am. (Tim Jukes). An adult BITTERN flew south towards Purton at 10:10am. (Ian Ralphs).

Bitterns by Tim Jukes

Nailsworth     A QUAIL flew briefly and dropped again into a field near Barton End layby this evening. (Terry Grant).

Gloucester     The male BLACK REDSTART again on rooftops in the city centre. (Mark Dowie).

Black Redstart by Mark Dowie

Saul Warth     Early morning low high tide, 59 Shelducks including 14 ducklings, 32 Avocets, 25 Black-tailed Godwits, nine Curlews, six Oystercatchers, a Common Tern, a male Marsh Harrier, four Grey Herons, two Little Egrets, five Whitethroats, 30 Swallows, three Sand Martins, a Meadow Pipit and two Reed Buntings. (MK).

Coombe Hill Meadows     This afternoon two Buzzards, four Grey Herons, two Curlews, two Redshanks, a Lapwing, 20+ Swallows, 8+ House Martins, three Stock Doves, three Sedge Warblers, five Reed Buntings, four Whitethroats (+ 2 juveniles), four Yellow Wagtails and two broods of 8+ Long-tailed Tits. Also a male Scarce Chaser and three Broad-Bodied Chasers. (Paul Clark).

Frampton     Around the pools this evening a Spotted Flycatcher still, a Cuckoo, five Common Terns, 11 Great Crested Grebes with a juvenile, 20+ Swifts, 50+ Sand Martins, ten House Martins and four Swallows. (Nick Goatman). At Splatt Bridge early morning a Grasshopper Warbler reeling, audible by the bridge and another reeling N of the bridge further along the path, also two Bullfinches, a Cuckoo calling and several families of Greenfinches. (Steve Pullen).

Forest of Dean     At Nagshead a Spotted Flycatcher from Lower Hide. At Parkend a Dipper on Cannop Brook, two Grey Wagtails along the feeder stream and a male Bullfinch opposite the cycle shop. At Cannop Stoneworks a pair of Coots with two chicks and four Grey Wagtails. (Andy & Sue Gibbons).

Minsterworth Ham     This morning a Little Egret, a Cattle Egret, a Kestrel, two Curlews, 20+ Skylarks, a Yellow Wagtail, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat and two Reed Bunting.s. Also lots of Corky-fruited Water Dropwort. (Juliet Bailey/Luke Hall/Mike Smart).

Longney Crib     This afternoon two Oystercatchers, a Shelduck, nine Mallards, two Grey Herons, a Cormorant, two Sedge Warblers, three Swallows, five Goldfinches, two Skylarks, a Kestrel, 50+ corvids, Rooks and Crows and 75 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. (John Fletcher).

Kingscote     On patch today a juvenile, fully fledged Cuckoo. A patch tick. (Joshua Hamblin).

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Thursday 11th June 2026

WWT Slimbridge     This morning on the Top New Piece seven Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin, 37 Gadwalls, a Little Egret, three Redshanks and 20 Swifts. A Great White Egret from Martin Smith hide. A juvenile Barn Owl showing in the nestbox from Kingfisher hide. (Paul Masters). A juvenile BITTERN in the reedbed at Knott hide. (Oliver Paisey). A female Marsh Harrier hunting over the Top New Piece this afternoon. (Steve Pullen).

Cotswold Water Park West    13 Cattle Egrets amongst goats near Pit 41. A BITTERN flew from Pit 57 to Pit 65 at 5:45pm. Also around the pits a Great White Egret, two Egyptian Geese, four Little Ringed Plovers, four Ringed Plovers, six Common Terns, two Red Kites, three Marsh Harriers and at least one Hobby. (Andy Jayne).

Saul Warth     Early morning no tide, 42 Shelducks including ten ducklings, four Curlews, six Oystercatchers, four Grey Herons, two Little Egrets, a Grey Wagtail, a juvenile Pied Wagtail, 40 Swallows, 30 Sand Martins and a House Martin. (MK).

House Martin, Sand Martin & Swallow by Mike King

Ashleworth Ham     Two Mute Swans, two pairs of Greylag with four goslings, a pair of Shelducks with five ducklings, 30 Mallards including seven ducklings, a Grey Heron, a Little Egret, a Red Kite, a pair of Lapwings with three chicks, two Curlews, a Cuckoo, 1+ Redstart, 1+ Sedge Warbler, 3+ Blackcaps, 3+ Whitethroats, 2+ Chiffchaffs and 4+ Reed Buntings today. (Mike Smart).

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