Cheddar Reservoir - Lesser Yellowlegs etc

At long last we got the chance to visit Cheddar Reservoir in hope of seeing the now famous Lesser Yellowlegs. We paid a visit on 31/10 and again on 4/11 and struck lucky both times. A beautiful wader with remarkable legs and a 'lifer' for us. 

The reservoir itself is very low on water at the moment and has acquired a couple of islands! We have never seen the level so low and the bleached looking dried out weed together with the mud has almost created little lagoons.  Quite surreal to look at.

Other birds of note were 3 Great White Egrets, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon, Tufted, Pochard, Cormorant, Chiffchaff, Mute Swan

   The one and only Lesser Yellowlegs

               

                   Looking very comfy on the dried out weed

  

                

               

  Feeling tired - Pied Wagtail looking striking against the bleached weed

               

                  Great White Egret - one of 3 taking advantage of the fish in the lake

   Caught One

               

                  Down in one

   Wing stretch - Lesser Yellowlegs

                

              

                Take off!

                

                

               

               

                

  The Lesser Yellowlegs a fine looking wader, a lifer for us and one of the many highlights of 2016 so far.

Slimbridge 2/11/16 - Pintails, Geese and Cattle Egrets

Once again an early start for Slimbridge and entry through the 'secret gate' at 08:15.  Lovely sunny and bright but as always the wind blowing through the hides!

Still not too many ducks have arrived and no sign of the Bewick's.  However from the Holden Tower we saw Barnacle and White fronted Geese, Little Stint, Black tailed Godwits and good numbers of Wigeon.  In total we saw 59 birds for the day not forgetting the 6 Cattle Egrets in a field in the village of Slimbridge.  All in all a good day, other highlights being Pintail, Redshank, Golden Plover, Lapwings, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier, Shoveler, Little Egret, Cranes, Kingfisher, Goldcrest, Fieldfare.   

Looking forward to a return visit in a few weeks time.

Canada Geese looking down on Barnacle

             

                Odd one out - Greylag with Canada Geese

   Black tailed Godwit flock

                

                   Distant Peregrine watching the Barnacle Geese

   Blue Tit 

                

                   Great Tit

   Redshank 

               

    Lapwing

                

   Taking a bath

               

                   Teal

   Fluffed up Jackdaw

                

                   Basking Red Admiral in the heat of the Autumn sun

   Pintail coming out of 'eclipse' no pin yet!

                

   Water off a ducks back - Pintail

               

   Female Pintail

               

                   2 of the 6 Cattle Egrets - surprise of the day

               

                   Great to see the Egrets with the cows

               

                 Looking for insects

            

               

                  Awesome to see 6 in one field here in the UK