27th - 29th August - Oldbury-on-Severn and Slimbridge, Gloucestershire

The late summer Bank Holiday weekend took us west into Gloucestershire, staying in the village of Oldbury-on-Severn.  We were about a twenty minute walk out to the Severn estuary and the looming presence of the Oldbury nuclear power station.  Having arrived mid afternoon we took a walk around the area, taking in the fields and paddocks that circle the monolithic building that is the power station.  The power station itself is in the process of being decommissioned.  The power station opened in 1967 and it's two reactors produced enough power to support an urban concentration twice the size of Bristol.

The silt lagoons that surround the power station are used as a high tide roost, but getting access to view was just not possible so we had to be content with the walk.  This did produce something of interest though.  Around the paddocks a couple of Wheatear were perched on the fences.

A fox was seen walking along the bottom of the raised sea wall

Butterflies present in the fields were Speckled Wood, a few Common Blue and this Small Heath.

Out on the mud being exposed by the falling tide were Black-headed Gulls, Curlew and several Mallard, nothing to really call home about!.  I disturbed a Green Woodpecker from the bank of the sea wall and it flew off with the characteristic undulating flight.  Once landed I could see that it was an immature bird, probably searching for ants among the dry grass and soil.

As we com eto the end of August the nights are drawing in and the birds are gathering to roost.  A large number of Starling were gathering on the power lines that stretched across the fields.

In smaller numbers were Swallows that were also using the power lines.

The following day we spent some time at the WWT location at Slimbridge.  This is not the best time of year to visit the collection of duck, geese and swans as many are in moult and all look pretty much the same.  This though did not deter the many families that were out with their bags of seed to feed the many Greylag Geese that were taking advantage.

We headed to the reserve hides, wandering through the exhibition pens.  On the path leading to the Kingfisher Hide a Comma sunning itself in the emerging sunshine.

The only notable sighting from the hide was a large group of Barnacle Geese.  I was surprised to see them and wondered about their heritage.

Walking back I popped into one of the hides over looking the marsh alongside the path from the Kingfisher Hide.  In doing so I struck lucky with the bird I hoped to see, a Common Crane.

From 2010 to 2015 Wildfowl and Wetland Trust Slimbridge participated in the unique and exciting Great Crane Project alongside the RSPB to bring back the crane from extinction, by hatching eggs taken from Europe and raising them at Slimbridge until they were ready to be released.

Over the period of five years the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust released 93 of the reared young cranes at a secret location in the Somerset Levels and Moors. Despite taking them to this ideal habitat, in the following years they discovered some of those cranes were returning to the reserve at Slimbridge.  43 of these birds have visited the reserve over the years and six pairs and a singleton call the reserve home.

This bird looked like it was the single bird, walking around amongst the grazing cattle.

It then turned and walked towards the water, remaining vigilant as it made its way.

It made its way past a Mute Swan sitting close to the water.

It came down to the water to drink.

Getting a little stuck as it tried to move out.

The crane is Europe's largest bird. It stands 110 to 130 centimetres tall and has a wing span of 220 to 245 centimetres. The characteristic markings are pale grey plumage, black and white head and neck markings and the bare, red patch of skin on its head.

It appeared to be wary of the cattle as they grazed and walked past.

Some of the best views I have had of this graceful wetland bird that is making a comeback in the United Kingdom.

Leaving the hide we headed back into the exhibition pens.  I was taken by a pair of Coscoroba swan.  This swan is reportedly the smallest species of swan found in South America and gets its name from its call.  I just loved the contrast of the red bill, the black eye and the pure white plumage.

We had lunch outside opposite the pen housing the Caribbean Flamingos.  These are a large species of Flamingo similar to to the Greater Flamingo and was once considered co-specific.  It is the only species of flamingo found in the Americas.

The colouring is a result of the food they eat, many shrimp and crustaceans.  I was taken by the bright pink orange colouring and the dark background and have put together this portfolio.  Not wild birds but you can appreciate the beauty.

Leaving the flamingos we headed to the hides over looking Rushy Pen, a few Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits were feeding in the shallow water and a Green Sandpiper was present at the back of the scrape.  On one of the islands were three Avocet, although appearing asleep there is always one eye open.

The wader of interest though was a Ruff feeding relatively close to the hide.

From there we headed to the South Lake, along the way the path passed buddleia that were attractive to a smart male Brimstone.

And a small open meadow that was perfect for another Comma

Unfortunately the hide on South Lake looks south, not a good place when the sun shines which it was  now doing.  There was a good sized group of Black-tailed Godwits and up to nine Ruff feeding.

On the Sunday we walked to the village of Littleton-on-Severn and enjoyed a very nice Sunday roast in the White Hart, the walk took us along the sea wall of the Severn Estuary.  On the salt marsh were several Wheatear, Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, a couple of fly over Yellow Wagtails and a family group of Kestrels hunting over the marsh.

In addition there were some lovely views of the distant power station.

And the two Severn bridges

Unfortunately the sun didn't stay with us and once back at the cottage the cloud returned.  It was though a lovely relaxing weekend