Dr.Boletus
Well-known member
It was madness. Got up at 6am, took the train, rode a bike, and there I was, at Slimbridge. Last time I visited, there was a vagrant red-breasted goose present here, which I took photos of, back in 2018. I began with the Peng observatory. There was supposed to be a greater scaup here, but I was blown away by the incredible beauty of the wild tundra swans so much that I just...ignored everything else.
When I got to the Estuary hide, I noticed something white in the distance. A white goose. But I wasn't here for it- I was here for the cranes. A peregrine flew directly overhead, the reason why everything was so 'brave' out in the wetlands today. Literal clouds of lapwings and dunlins suddenly exploding from out of nowhere suddenly.
Then, a flock of much larger birds flew past. White-fronted geese. I knew they were here- they have already been identified as the Russian variant of Anser albifrons. But as I watched, one bird among them caught my attention. It was like an albifrons, except a bit lighter, it had more white on its head, and I think it had a faint indication of a gold ring around its eye. A lesser white-fronted goose, maybe? Perhaps. (Second photo)
Then, I noticed the star bird. Over the course of a few hours, I watched 15 cranes out on the Dumbles, feeding and flapping lazily about. Cranes were really difficult to see in the past for me, and I was as a result completely blown away by the views I got here today. Definitely the best place in the UK to see this bird.
As I watched, some people nearby diagnosed a white goose in the distance as a snow goose. It then flew right past, showing its beautiful plumage and absolutely no ring on its legs at all, and landed near the swans, where I had an extraordinarly hard time finding it!
Then, a flock of barnacles arrived, and another white goose was among them. But something was off about it- it was clearly smaller than the snow goose which I had seen well, it had a smaller bill, and it had black around the base of the bill. I realised I was looking at a Ross's goose!!
Today I also found a Ruff out in the wetlands
And a family portrait to end the day
What a day! Totally worth it. For my next trip, I plan on putting an obsession I had for years to rest. I finally figured out where to see a very long-staying (escaped? introduced?) wood duck in the wild nearby. I am so excited!
When I got to the Estuary hide, I noticed something white in the distance. A white goose. But I wasn't here for it- I was here for the cranes. A peregrine flew directly overhead, the reason why everything was so 'brave' out in the wetlands today. Literal clouds of lapwings and dunlins suddenly exploding from out of nowhere suddenly.
Then, a flock of much larger birds flew past. White-fronted geese. I knew they were here- they have already been identified as the Russian variant of Anser albifrons. But as I watched, one bird among them caught my attention. It was like an albifrons, except a bit lighter, it had more white on its head, and I think it had a faint indication of a gold ring around its eye. A lesser white-fronted goose, maybe? Perhaps. (Second photo)
Then, I noticed the star bird. Over the course of a few hours, I watched 15 cranes out on the Dumbles, feeding and flapping lazily about. Cranes were really difficult to see in the past for me, and I was as a result completely blown away by the views I got here today. Definitely the best place in the UK to see this bird.
As I watched, some people nearby diagnosed a white goose in the distance as a snow goose. It then flew right past, showing its beautiful plumage and absolutely no ring on its legs at all, and landed near the swans, where I had an extraordinarly hard time finding it!
Then, a flock of barnacles arrived, and another white goose was among them. But something was off about it- it was clearly smaller than the snow goose which I had seen well, it had a smaller bill, and it had black around the base of the bill. I realised I was looking at a Ross's goose!!
Today I also found a Ruff out in the wetlands
And a family portrait to end the day
What a day! Totally worth it. For my next trip, I plan on putting an obsession I had for years to rest. I finally figured out where to see a very long-staying (escaped? introduced?) wood duck in the wild nearby. I am so excited!
