Attenborough nature reserve (1 Viewer)

[She’ll not av feathers on]

Easily my favourite birding day so far at Attenborough today! In less than 20 minutes from the foot of the tower hide my Merlin picked up…..

Cuckoo
Reed Bunting
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Whitethroat
Black headed gull
Yellow legged gull
Cetti’s warbler (what an amazing sound😍)
Sedge warbler
Sand Martin
Skylark
Little grebe
Garden warbler
Chiffchaff
Great tit
Blue tit
Blackbird
Song thrush

I definitely managed to see Greenfinches, great and blue tits, whitethroat and chiff chaff.

I’ll be returning tomorrow armed with a pack lunch/flask and no plans for the rest of the day!

First time since I was a wee boy that I’ve heard a cuckoo in the wild! Must be 35 years since I last saw and heard one! So excited!

 

[wheatearlp]

Nice list of species. Wonder about YL Gull at this time of year in Notts though, especially if sound ID'd only. Did you see the YLG or were there Lesser Black-backed Gulls about?

Re Slimbridge, I forgotten (not really aware tbh) that it was half-term this week, otherwise I'd have advised you to postpone.
Being a member helps, as you can benefit from early access to the Estuary Tower (and the hides along the walkway to it) plus access to the Summer Walkway from, I think, 8.15 - no crowds, screaming or otherwise.
Once the grounds are fully open, there is also the South Lake and Discovery Hide (left just before the flamingos) and the Zeiss Hide (turn right just past the kids playground but before you reach the gate to the Kingfisher Hide). Tide times and heights also play a part, so worth checking before you go.
Agree, late spring and summer isn't great (although there can be the odd decent scarcity (I've seen Little Bustard, Black-winged Stilt, the Bluethroat & Caspian Tern in recent summers). Autumn can be good, especially on high tides, and winter is good to kick-start a year-list if you don't live too far away (you're in north-east Midlands aren't you, so RSPB Frampton probably a better choice for you?)

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

Nice list of species. Wonder about YL Gull at this time of year in Notts though, especially if sound ID'd only. Did you see the YLG or were there Lesser Black-backed Gulls about?

Re Slimbridge, I forgotten (not really aware tbh) that it was half-term this week, otherwise I'd have advised you to postpone.
Being a member helps, as you can benefit from early access to the Estuary Tower (and the hides along the walkway to it) plus access to the Summer Walkway from, I think, 8.15 - no crowds, screaming or otherwise.
Once the grounds are fully open, there is also the South Lake and Discovery Hide (left just before the flamingos) and the Zeiss Hide (turn right just past the kids playground but before you reach the gate to the Kingfisher Hide). Tide times and heights also play a part, so worth checking before you go.
Agree, late spring and summer isn't great (although there can be the odd decent scarcity (I've seen Little Bustard, Black-winged Stilt, the Bluethroat & Caspian Tern in recent summers). Autumn can be good, especially on high tides, and winter is good to kick-start a year-list if you don't live too far away (you're in north-east Midlands aren't you, so RSPB Frampton probably a better choice for you?)

Thanks Wheater for taking the time to write such a message.

I didn’t see the YLG but the place I was stood did have black backed gulls too so I guess the Merlin could have mistaken it for that. I’ve learnt that it’s actually not to be trusted implicitly

I’ve clearly visited slimbridge at a time of year when it’s going to be tough to enjoy from a tranquil and relaxed view point. However, the £18 really sticks in the throat and for that alone I won’t be in a rush to go back.

Attenborough/Carsington are both on my doorstep and in terms of a birding experience being able to see a lot of different birds (I got a chaffinch, Jay and tree creeper today at Attenborough all whilst stood in the same spot) I just find it much more enjoyable! Both of them have plenty families with small children there as well they’re just not seemingly actively encouraged to run around like a berserk set of howler monkeys!

Frampton marsh I’ve heard is excellent🥰 thanks for the tip🙂

 

[wheatearlp]

Thanks Wheater for taking the time to write such a message.

I didn’t see the YLG but the place I was stood did have black backed gulls too so I guess the Merlin could have mistaken it for that. I’ve learnt that it’s actually not to be trusted complicity.

I’ve clearly visited slimbridge at a time of year when it’s going to be tough to enjoy from a tranquil and relaxed view point. However, the £18 really sticks in the throat and for that alone I won’t be in a rush to go back.

Attenborough/Carsington are both on my doorstep and in terms of a birding experience being able to see a lot of different birds (I got a chaffinch, Jay and tree creeper today at Attenborough all whilst stood in the same spot) I just find it much more enjoyable! Both of them have plenty families with small children there as well they’re just not seemingly actively encouraged to run around like a berserk set of howler monkeys!

Frampton marsh I’ve heard is excellent🥰 thanks for the tip🙂

Frampton is good but, again, high tides can improve the experience.

Merlin is good for alerting you to possibles, but should in no way be believed implicitly!

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

Frampton is good but, again, high tides can improve the experience.

Merlin is good for alerting you to possibles, but should in no way be believed implicitly!

Thanks once again. I will mind in future to be complicit with my high tides and not implicitly trusting Merlin😋

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

Saw my first ever tree creeper here the other day. Felt like a really lucky moment. No more than 15 foot in front of me! The more I think about it the more I get the feeling that I’m still going to look back in 15 years time and remember how close it was to me!

Or are they in fact quite a regular and common sight? It’s so well camouflaged against a tree that I would imagine they’re incredibly difficult to find unless they’re as close as this one was to me!

I saw on the notice board at the cafe that they hadn’t been noted yet during May! So they can’t be sticking out like sore thumbs??

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

Does anyone with more experience than me think it’s possible I saw a short eared owl at Attenborough today?

It was a very brief sighting (3-4 seconds) as it flew across me whilst I was sat in the tower hide. But it was a noticeably “slow” and pronounced flight, the markings I saw cross referenced with my bird ID book and a conversation I had with another birder just makes me pretty sure I saw one! Even allowing for the fact they aren’t a common or even uncommon sight there!