Slimbridge sightings

 Pintail flock

 Love a Bewick

 Showy Water Rail

 Close up views from Willow Hide

Tack Piece

 Golden Plovers

Red-breasted Goose with Barnacle flock

After a week of being couped up due to the killer "Chinese flu" I needed to get out and try and see a few birds but also needed a location for a few pits stops as I'm carrying this pesky bug. Slimbridge never disappoints in the winter months so we headed down the M5 for a walk around the reserved. The Bewicks were all around the Rushy pen but there was an additional visitor, a Little Stint, on one of the islands. 

Two Water Rails were taking advantage of the dropped food around the feeders from the Willow hide. The Tack Piece was oozing with birds, many of them my first of the year of the species. Sightings included Curlew, Ruff, Dunlin, 100 White-fronted Geese, Redshank, Wigeon & Teal.

From the Holden Tower I added the Red-breasted Goose that had been around since last year, 3 Cranes & 180 Barnacles. I did check in at the south Lake where there was more of the same. After a quick coffee & over priced flapjack it was back up the M5 listening to Saints blow a 2-0 lead at Watford.