The Gloster Birder

Saul     The SHAG still at Saul junction on the canal today. (Les Ditchburn/Paul Masters).

Slimbridge     A RED-BREASTED MERGANSER just flew low along canal N over Patch Bridge at 7am. (Slimbridge Sightings).

Minsterworth     Two Whooper Swans, 21 Mute Swans, four Shelducks, 290 Wigeon, ten Teal, 15 Mallards, ten Pintails, 15 Shovelers, two Grey Herons, 300 Black-headed Gulls, 25 Herring Gulls, 25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a big increase in wintering thrushes with 350 Fieldfares in the treetops, with just one or two Redwings. (Mike Smart).

Walmore Common (from Chaxhill Lodge)     40 Greylags, 80 Canada Geese, 500 Wigeon, 200+ Teal, 20 Mallards, 20 Shovelers and 110 Lapwings today. (Mike Smart).

Saul     A SHAG on the canal seen both sides of Cadbury Bridge today. (Gordon Hodgson). Pics by Mike.

Nearby 30+ Little Egrets in the horse paddocks along the road to Arlingham getting pushed around by a Buzzard at 1:15pm. (MK).

Saul Warth     A very late Common Sandpiper, 32 Mute Swans, 10+ Curlews, a Grey Wagtail and a Chiffchaff singing. (MK).

Frampton    From Splatt Bridge this morning a flock of 51 Snipe, eight Lapwings, 20 Curlews, two Kingfishers, a Chiffchaff and five Stonechats (3m). (Gordon Hodgson).

Quedgeley     A Raven in Asda car park this morning. (Tony Hurcombe).

WWT Slimbridge     From Zeiss hide a Dark-bellied Brent Goose and eight Pink-footed Geese on the Dumbles. 20+ White-fronted Geese on the Tack Piece. 332 Shovelers on South Lake. (Martin McGill).

Purton     A drake RED-BREASTED MERGANSER on the canal early morning, then flew onto the river. Also 15 White-fronted Geese heading to Slimbridge over Purton this morning. (Andy Jordan/Neil Smart/MK).

Forest of Dean    A Red-breasted Merganser on Woorgreens Lake this morning. (Chris Keeling). A male Firecrest, c15 Bramblings, seven Hawfinches, three Lesser Redpolls and a pair of Stonechats at Nagshead this morning. (Lewis Thomson).

WWT Slimbridge     No sign of the Richard’s Pipits today. From Zeiss hide a Dark-bellied Brent Goose and eight Pink-footed Geese on the Dumbles. From Kingfisher hide 20 White-fronted Geese and two juvenile Greenland White-fronted Geese. (Slimbridge Sightings).

Saul Warth     28 Mute Swans, 20 Wigeon, four Pintails, a Little Egret, seven Skylarks, six Meadow Pipits, a male Stonechat, a male Reed Bunting, six Linnets and a Chiffchaff this morning. (MK).

Berkeley     Nine Little Egrets in a roadside field at Park Farm, Ham. (Andrew Jones).

Sharpness     A SNOW BUNTING flew over N calling, but not seen, at 8:39am. A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER with a Tit/crest flock on the S side of the path to SARA at the end until midday at least. A Spotted Redshank on floods opposite the new development on the Berkeley by-pass until 2:15pm at least. (Andy Jordan). This afternoon a pair of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS flew in to the canal near the old railway bridge. (Mike Davis).

WWT Slimbridge     Two RICHARD’S PIPITS feeding along the seawall near the goose house at the end of the Summer Walkway. Also two Short-eared Owls hunting. Also today an adult Dark-bellied Brent along saltmarsh foreshore, eight Pink-footed Geese distantly on the Lower Dumbles, 13 White-fronted Geese on the Bottom New Piece and 275 Shovelers on South Lake. Also a BITTERN seen below Zeiss hide. (Martin McGill). c60 Knot on South Lake this morning. (Paul Masters).

Snowshill     The GREAT GREY SHRIKE hunting along hedgerows near the village this afternoon. (Roger & Sheila Wasley).

Forest of Dean     A GREAT GREY SHRIKE back at a traditional site today. (Frank Williams).

Stinchcombe Hill     A Brambling in trees close to golf clubhouse this morning. (James Robinson).

Frampton     A RICHARD’S PIPIT over the pools calling this morning also two Chiffchaffs, one singing, four Lesser Redpolls, six Siskins, 18 Fieldfares, 74 Tufted Ducks, 12 Gadwalls, a Green Sandpiper and four Little Grebes. (Nick Goatman). A Goosander flew S over Splatt Bridge at 11:30am today. (Gordon Hodgson).

Cotswold Water Park West    At Shorncote Reedbeds this afternoon until dusk a Little Grebe, a Little Egret, a Great White Egret, 12+ Grey Herons, an Egyptian Goose, a Shoveler, 25 Teal, c40 Tufted Duck, 8+ Water Rails calling, a Kestrel, three Buzzards, 21 Lapwings, four Snipe, two Barn Owls hunting after sunset, a Kingfisher, three Skylarks, c25 Meadow Pipits, two Grey Wagtails, a Green Woodpecker, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, c120 Fieldfares and 325 Redwings dropped in before dark, a pair of Stonechats, three Chiffchaffs, 6-7 singing Cetti’s Warblers, four Reed Buntings and 80+ Linnets. (Jon Mercer).

Roel Gate     Several very large flocks of Starlings flying over fields and strung out along power lines this afternoon. (Roger & Sheila Wasley).

Hawling     A Peregrine seen flushing birds from fields near the village late afternoon. (Roger & Sheila Wasley).

Haw Bridge     Two Mute Swans, 70 Canada Geese, ten Wigeon, 300 Black-headed Gulls, 40 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 30 Herring Gulls on the floodwater and c10 Fieldfares in the big trees. (Mike Smart).

Coombe Hill Meadows     Still impossible to reach the Grundon hide from the canal bank so approach from the Apperley side. Two Mute Swans, 20 Greylags, 20 Wigeon, four Mallards, 27 Tufted Ducks, four Pochards and a Coal Tit, rarely recorded here. (Mike Smart).

Hucclecote     A Jay in the garden briefly at Porchester Road today. (Harold Smith).

Cirencester     A Hedgehog in the churchyard today. (Felicity Cobb).

Sharpness     A GLOSSY IBIS on floods opposite the new development on the Berkeley by-pass until 11am at least. (Matt Price).

WWT Slimbridge    Eight Pink-footed Geese on the Dumbles. 12 White-fronted Geese and a juvenile Greenland White-fronted Goose from Kingfisher Hide today. (Dave Paynter).

Saul Warth     Two Bewick’s Swans on the Warth this morning. (Martin McGill).

Snowshill     The GREAT GREY SHRIKE again this morning near Snowshill. Also Red Kite, Red-legged Partridge, two Ravens and c200 Fieldfares. (Jonathan Bull).

WWT Slimbridge     Six Pink-footed Geese on the Dumbles from Zeiss hide today. Also on the Dumbles six White-fronted Geese (2 juvs) and the juvenile Greenland White-fronted Goose. (Ian Hull). A Short-eared Owl on the fence line at Mid Point this afternoon. (Mike Davis). The Little Stint again from Zeiss hide but elusive (Ian Hull/Dot Jones) also the Spotted Redshank. (Paul Masters).

Minsterworth Ham     A pair of Whooper Swans, 15 Mute Swans, five Greylags, 40 Wigeon, six Teal, five Shovelers, 100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 25 Herring Gulls, 150 Black-headed Gulls and 20 Common Gulls today. (Mike Smart).

Walmore Common     Two Mute Swans, 20 Greylags, three Shelducks, 198 Wigeon, 70+ Teal, 20 Mallards, 16 Shovelers, 80 Lapwings, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 30 Black-headed Gulls. (Mike Smart).

Forest of Dean    Two Dippers in a stream at Coldharbour, St Briavels today. (Owen Follis).

Roel Gate     A Starling murmuration of several thousand birds near Roel Hill Farm this lunchtime. (Sheila Wasley).

Berkeley shore     c60 Fieldfares, seven Curlews, 20+ Meadow Pipits and three Pied Wagtails today. (Les Ditchburn).

WWT Slimbridge    Four Bewick’s Swans  flew over the Rushy and landed on Tack Piece this morning. (Kane Brides/Steve Heaven). On the Rushy 31 Pintails and 47 Pochards. Ten White-fronted Geese (3 juvs) feeding on the Dumbles and three White-fronted Geese on the Bottom New Piece and a Bar-headed Goose with the Barnacles. On South Lake c50 Knot, five Ruff, 200+ Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank. 29 Curlews from Zeiss hide.(Jonathan Bull/John Fletcher). Also a Little Stint and Spotted Redshank today. (Chris Downward/Malcolm Black).