Strongy's Slimbridge trip

A bitterly cold and windy day yesterday, took 3 hours to get there.
I wanted to see some of the winter visiting birds I don't see in Dorset.

Barnacle Geese. 25% of the entire Eurasian population has been lost due to Avian Flu in the last two years.




Bewick Swans, Less and less birds are coming here due to milder Winter conditions in Central Europe over the last 20 years or so.




Common Cranes, Lost for more than a century due to persecution they have been reintroduced to Suffolk and the Somerset Levels, some spend the entire Winter at Slimbridge.




Unfortunately nearly all of the White Fronted Geese had move off to distant fields leaving just a couple in the field by the car park. They don't have a white front but a white patch above the bill.


Dozens of pairs of Pintails, I see them locally but not as close.

 

Fabulous pics @strongylodon , what a lovely trip out.
We had a few Swans flying over the other day, not sure if they were headed towards the lakes opposite us. Unfortunately it's too wet and soggy to go and look as they were once clay quarries about a 100 years ago and although now a very beautiful environment ...it still has clay!!!

 

Marvelous Pictures Strongy

 

Lovely shots Strongy.

It's a very long time since I visited Slimbridge but my brother is still a regular visitor.