Frampton     A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER near the jetty at Court Lake this afternoon. (Nigel Young). This morning three Goldeneyes (2m), 24 Gadwalls, 18 Cormorants, two Shovelers, a Teal, nine Wigeon, 68 Tufted Ducks, a Barnacle Goose, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, four Redpolls, 20+ Siskins, a Kingfisher and seven Great Crested Grebes. (Nick Goatman).

Yellow-browed Warbler by Nigel Young

Coombe Hill Meadows     Two drake RING-NECKED DUCKS on the short pool, difficult to see but in company with c20 Tufted Ducks. The Grundon hide is closed, please view only from the towpath. The paths are very muddy & slippery, wellies are essential. (Ian Ralphs/Ian Hull).

WWT Slimbridge     A WHOOPER SWAN and a Black Swan on the Rushy this morning.  The SPOONBILL mobile around the grounds, 31 Avocets and a female Goldeneye on South Lake and up to 21 Cattle Egrets resting on the deep lake islands at 3:30pm. 30+ Goldfinches, ten Siskins and male and female Redpoll in alders by South Lake. The Little Stint and a Ringed Plover on the scrape from Estuary Tower again. A Water Rail from Willow hide again. The female Firecrest in the Withy bed again. (Slimbridge Sightings/Jeremy Holland/Andy Stockhausen/Paul Rich/MK). A drake Mandarin briefly from Hogarth hide. (Jeremy Holland). c12 Greenfinches in alders near the Nene enclosure. (Keith Davies).

Spoonbill by Mike King

Whooper Swan by Mike King

Cotswold Water Park East    The escaped Scarlet Ibis with a Great White Egret and a Little Egret on the flooded meadow behind Pit 114 today. (Ian Sherriffs).

Stonehouse    Male and female Blackcap in the garden today. (Paul Sutton).

Ashleworth Ham     This afternoon between 12-4pm birds included 111 Greylags, 33 Canada Geese, 307 Wigeon, 77 Teal, 27 Pintails, 12 Shovelers, 161 Mallards, 23 Lapwings, nine Mute Swans, two Grey Herons, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Chaffinches, four Fieldfares, three Long tailed Tits and a 1. Buzzard. (John Fletcher).

WWT Slimbridge     A WHOOPER SWAN and 61 Bewick’s Swans on the Rushy this morning.  The SPOONBILL, 39 Avocets, a pair of Goldeneyes and at least eight Cattle Egrets briefly on South Lake. 18 Ruff on the Tack Piece. The Little Stint on the scrape from Estuary Tower again. (Slimbridge Sightings/Magnus Carter). A Water Rail attacked by a Sparrowhawk at Willow hide but escaped. (Dot Jones).

Gloucester     At Saintbridge Pond today a Water Rail, ten Teal, a Grey Heron and three Chiffchaffs. (Andy Jayne).

Forest of Dean     A male Hawfinch at Parkend today. (Sarah Townsend).

Chavenage Lane area     Seven Red Kites, 12+ Buzzards, 4500+ Woodpigeons and 200+ Fieldfares today. (Terry Grant).

Stonehouse     This afternoon from Ryeford to the Ocean two Kingfishers together at the Ocean, a third near Bond’s Mill, a Cormorant over, two Buzzards together, a Chiffchaff and c25 Redwings. (Paul Sutton).

Buzzard by Paul Sutton

Forest of Dean     A ringed female Hawfinch feeding under the Yew trees at Parkend this morning. (Tim Salkeld).

This bird was ringed in the Wye Valley (Near Chepstow) on 12/04/2024. (Jerry Lewis).

Hawfinch by Tim Salkeld

Winchcombe     c25 Red Kites gathering at 4pm near Sudeley Hill Farm. (Celia Abbott).

Coombe Hill  Meadows     Birds today included two drake RING-NECKED DUCKS, 60 Greylags, 100 Canada Geese, two Shelducks, 2000+ Wigeon, 12 Gadwalls, 2500+ Teal, 50 Mallards, 400 Pintails, 300 Shovelers, 30 Tufted Ducks, two Coots, a Buzzard, 55 Lapwings, ten Snipe, five Common Gulls, 40 Black-headed Gulls and a Chiffchaff. (Mike Smart). Additionally at least 25 Egyptian Geese at the southern meadows, a female/immature Marsh Harrier and a fly-over Great White Egret. (Andy Jayne).

Cobney Meadows     25 Shelducks, five Little Egrets and 200 Black-headed Gulls today. (Mike Smart).

WWT Slimbridge     A WHOOPER SWAN and 61 Bewick’s Swans on the Rushy this morning.  The SPOONBILL on the Tack Piece today. The Little Stint on the scrape from Estuary Tower again. A Water Rail from Willow hide. 35 Avocets and a pair of Goldeneyes on South Lake. The Firecrest seen again late morning in the Withy bed from the pathway between Martin Smith and Robbie Garnett hides. (Slimbridge Sightings/Dr Emma Preece).

Frampton     A drake Goldeneye and a Yellow-legged Gull on the sailing lake this morning. (Chris Jones).

Toddington    A Red Kite and a Raven flew over this morning. (Christopher Teague).

Epney     Two Bewick’s Swans flew S heading inland this morning. (Jeremy Squire).

Ashleworth Ham     A drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL from the hide at 3pm. Around Ashleworth/Hasfield Ham 323 Canada Geese, 158 Greylags, an Egyptian Goose, 24 Shelducks, 285 Wigeon, 123 Teal, 30 Pintails, 16 Shovelers, five Gadwalls, 85 Mallards, 32 Lapwings, two Golden Plovers, ten Snipe, a Marsh Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine, a Kingfisher, three Reed Buntings, and many small Starling flocks heading to a roost. (combined counts from Richard Humphrey/Andy Jayne).

WWT Slimbridge     On South Lake the SPOONBILL, 18 Avocets and a Marsh Harrier. A Little Stint feeding around the scrape from Estuary Tower. A Red Kite over the Tack Piece. A FIRECREST ringed in the Duck Decoy. (Slimbridge Sightings/Heather England).

Forest of Dean     c10 Crossbills at Crabtree Hill and two Hawfinches at Parkend late afternoon. (Paul Rich).

Awre     This morning two Common Cranes, 14 Curlews, 22 Pintails, 30 Fieldfares, 70+ Redwings, 23 Blackbirds, two Redpolls, 14 Chaffinches, 33 Meadow Pipits, 7+ Stonechats, a Rock Pipit and a Common Sandpiper. (Dan Watson).

Kingscote     At Ashel Barn 380 Golden Plovers mid morning at ST802961. (Vic
Polley).

Halmore    Around the woods today three Treecreepers, a Green Woodpecker, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Siskins, two Goldcrests, a Greenfinch, at least six Jays, a pair of Ravens, a Mistle Thrush, a Song Thrush, and three Bullfinches together. Also a Water Vole and two Muntjac. (Chris Newton).

Male Bullfinch by Chris Newton

Female Bullfinch by Chris Newton

Leckhampton Hill     A Tawny Owl hooting above the Daisybank car park at 7:15am. (Steve Brown).

Elkstone village     Four Red Kites, a Kestrel, a Raven, 30 Redwings, a Fieldfare, 50 Goldfinches, a Greenfinch, a Bullfinch and a small number of Siskins. As the sun broke through several species singing including two Mistle Thrushes, a Song Thrush and a Coal Tit. A Red Kite near Cowley. (Steve Brown).

Coombe Hill Meadows     From the Wainlodes end a Great White Egret, six Little Egrets, four Great Black-backed Gulls and small flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares. (Les Ditchburn).

Maisemore    A family group of five WHOOPER SWANS still at the River Leadon Meadows near Maisemore today, best viewed from Over canal. Also a Shoveler, six Pintail and 21 Mallards. (Andy Jayne). From Court Lake to the weir a Great Spotted Woodpecker, five Moorhens, 19 Mallards, a Buzzard, two Song Thrushes, a Mistle Thrush, seven Long-tailed Tits, three Chaffinches, three Fieldfares and two Mute Swans. (John Fletcher).

WWT Slimbridge     Six WHOOPER SWANS briefly from Estuary Tower, then flew off. (Paul Whitehead). The SPOONBILL on the Tack Piece today. A Water Rail from Willow hide, and around the grounds three Marsh Harriers, two Sparrowhawks, c250 Barnacle Geese, the Ross’s Goose, a Buzzard, a Pochard, two Curlews, five Ruff, a Black-tailed Godwit, c2450 Golden Plovers, c2300 Lapwings. a Grey Heron, a Little Egret, 11 Common Cranes, two Bewick’s Swans and two Cetti’s Warblers. (Paul Whitehead/Heather England).

Elmore Court    Birds seen along the public footpath through the rewilding area this morning included a pair of Ravens, a flyover Bewick’s Swan (new bird 102 for the site), a small flock of 17 Snipe, six Teal, four Grey Herons, three Stonechats, a Mistle Thrush, two Buzzards, two Kestrels, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 12 Redwings, seven Fieldfares, seven Meadow Pipits, three Wrens, a Linnet, two Goldfinches, 12 Long-tailed Tits and a Goldcrest. (Caroline Quinn).

Wren by Caroline Quinn

Frampton     A Goosander on Court Lake today. (Tom Blay).

Halmore     Birds around the woods today included a Bullfinch, a Kingfisher, two Siskins, a Buzzard, two Redwings, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers and four Jays silently harassing a female Sparrowhawk. (Chris Newton).

Jays & Sparrowhawk by Chris Newton

Gloucester     At Sudmeadow this morning a Water Rail at the Plantation Pool, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Jay and a pair of Stonechats feeding loosely with a Chiffchaff. (Gordon Avery).

Churchdown     A Sparrowhawk on a pigeon kill in the garden today. (Richard Badley).

Sparrowhawk by Richard Badley

WWT Slimbridge     The SPOONBILL still on South Lake today, and 16 Avocets. (Dot Jones).

Forest of Dean     At Cannop Lower pond, two Marsh Tits, 11 Mandarins (6m, 5f), three Goosanders (2m, 1f), male and female Bullfinch and five Nuthatches. At Parkend 4/5 Hawfinches. (Chris Snook).

Hawfinch by Chris Snook

Bullfinch by Chris Snook

Cotswold Water Park East     A drake SCAUP on Pit 132 today. The wandering escaped Scarlet Ibis  roosted with Cormorants on  Pit 114 this afternoon. At the Sewage Works at Kempsford 12-15 Chiffchaffs including a pale bird. (Duncan Dine).

Scaup by Duncan Dine

Dowdeswell Reservoir     A Goosander, three Cormorants and a Kingfisher today. (Tom Mabbett).

Stonehouse    In the Bond’s Mill area c30 Redwings, male and female Kingfishers, a pair of Little Grebes, a Grey Heron, a Cormorant over, a good number of Wrens and a Goldcrest. A Blackcap on the garden feeders again. (Paul Sutton).

Kingfisher by Paul Sutton

Little Grebe by Paul Sutton

Elkstone     A BLACK REDSTART feeding on and around the “protective care group” buildings” today, present since 15th December. (GL53 9PQ). (Tom Mabbett).

WWT Slimbridge     The SPOONBILL on South Lake still and 20+ Cattle Egrets. 100’s of Lapwings, Golden Plovers and Dunlins, 50+ Black-tailed Godwits and 8+ Common Cranes on the Tack Piece. 100+ Dunlins, a WHOOPER SWAN, a Black Swan and 40+ Bewick’s Swans on the Rushy. (Slimbridge Sightings/Paul Clark).

Coombe Hill Meadows     A group of two adult and five immature WHOOPER SWANS to the south of the canal. Also six Egyptian Geese, 130 Shovelers, 12 Gadwalls, 420 Pintails, 32 Tufted Ducks, a Water Rail heard, 40+ Lapwings, a Peregrine and Chiffchaff. (Andy Jayne).

Westbury-on-Severn     A SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF again today at Westbury STW. There is a public right of way along the east side of the STW, and it is associating with the border fence line, occasionally popping up into the pine trees. (Dan Watson).

Siberian Chiffchaff by Dan Watson

Forest of Dean    32 Shelducks, four Mallards, 72 Common Gulls, six Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 112 Black-headed Gulls, five Fieldfares and a Sparrowhawk at Boxbush Common. (Dan Watson).

Walmore Common    32 Wigeon, 12 Teal, five Grey Herons, a Little Egret and a Blackcap today. (Dan Watson).

Elmore Court    Along the footpath at the Elmore rewilding area today birds included a Water Rail calling from the ditch near the scrape, 13 Snipe, a Little Owl called briefly, at least two Gadwalls with 20 Mallards on the scrape, a Little Egret, two Grey Herons, a Chiffchaff, three Stonechats, 15+ Song Thrushes, two Mistle Thrushes, 10+ Redwings, two Reed Buntings, four Skylarks, a Sparrowhawk, three Kestrels, three Buzzards and two Ravens. (Steve Pullen).

Hawling     At lunchtime today 1+ Nuthatch, a Treecreeper and a Red Kite. (Gill Worthington).

Cam Green     A calling Little Owl in the garden this morning at 7:30am, the first since last July. (Brian Kings).

Thanks for supporting The Gloster Birder for its 24th year. Have a Merry Christmas and I’ll see you all out there. Mike.

Westbury-on-Severn     No sign of the Siberian Chiffchaff at Westbury STW in 45 minutes today but six Chiffchaffs there. (Andy Jayne).

Cheltenham     A Kingfisher fishing by the café on Pittville Park lake at 3:45pm. (MK).

Stonehouse     A male Blackcap in the garden today. (Paul Sutton).

Gloucester    Birds on the university campus at Oxstalls and the neighbouring allotments this morning included a leucistic Pheasant, a Sparrowhawk over, a Chiffchaff and a pair of Collared Doves. (Caroline Quinn). A Nuthatch on garden feeders in Barnwood today. (Derek Lightstone).

Pheasant by Caroline Quinn

WWT Slimbridge     The drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL again from Van de Bovencamp hide. On the Rushy this morning 61 Bewick’s Swans, a WHOOPER SWAN and a Black Swan. On South Lake the SPOONBILL, a pair of Goldeneyes, an Oystercatcher and 30 Avocets. A Water Rail at Willow hide. A Marsh Harrier on a kill and a Little Stint on the Dumbles. (Roy Kinchin/Sarah Townsend/Mike Davis/Magnus Carter/Robert Kelsh).

Berkeley shore     25 Turnstones, 26 Dunlins, 14 Redshanks, three Curlews, a Snipe and six Lapwings. Also 76 Mallards, four Teal, 14 Wigeon, six Grey Herons, two Stonechats and three Rock Pipits. (Thomas McClung).

Maisemore    A family group of five WHOOPER SWANS at the River Leadon Meadows near Maisemore today, best viewed from Over canal. Also a Green Sandpiper nearby at Maisemore Ham. (Andy Jayne).

Forest of Dean     5+ Hawfinches under the yews at Parkend by the cricket pitch this morning. (Tim Salkeld).

Cheltenham     This morning a Green Woodpecker c30ft up an oak tree in Benhall. (David Norman).

Green Woodpecker by David Norman

Purton     A redhead Goosander near the Timber Ponds and a male Goosander near the old railway bridge. Also two Little Grebes. (Mike Davis).

WWT Slimbridge     The SPOONBILL still on South Lake this morning. Also 28 Avocets. The Little Stint showing well on scrape from Estuary Tower. (Ian Hull/Caroline Quinn/Heather England). A Water Rail at the Willow hide again today. (Heather England). An adult Ring-billed Gull reported briefly on South Lake but flew off immediately. (Trudy Sheen).

Saul Warth     This afternoon 22 Curlews, 50 Dunlins, a Common Sandpiper, nine Shelducks, a Little Egret, a Kestrel, five Common Gulls, ten Fieldfares, 20 Redwings, a Mistle Thrush, 12 Meadow Pipits, seven Pied Wagtails, five Chiffchaffs and a Reed Bunting. (MK).

Reed Bunting by Mike King

Coombe Hill Meadows     Access from the Apperley end still, birds included two Mute Swans, 100 Greylags, 70 Canada Geese, 3000 Wigeon, two Gadwalls, 2000 Teal, 50 Mallards, 500 Pintails, 150 Shovelers, 40 Tufted Ducks, a Grey Heron, a Sparrowhawk, 15 Lapwings, four Great Black-backed Gulls, 26 Snipe on two unflooded rough fields to the NE of the reserve below Deerhurst Walton and a Cetti’s Warbler singing. (Mike Smart). Also two WHOOPER SWANS reported by a visiting birder.

Forest of Dean    A Red Kite over Coleford library this morning. (Iain Crawford).

Staunton     In a field near Staunton on the Newland road, 200+ Chaffinches and Goldfinches, and a Barn Owl nearby. (Iain Crawford).

Rodborough Common     On the private road four Goldcrests, four Greenfinches, two Jays and 70 Jackdaws. (Mil Petkovic).

Minchinhampton Golf Course (Avening Course)     30 Redwings on the 9th fairway, 25 Fieldfares on the 11th fairway, four Coots and a male Tufted Duck on the pond at the 11th fairway and 50 Fieldfares on the 14th fairway. (Mil Petkovic).