GLOUCESTERSHIRE

COTSWOLDS: The Blue Rock Thrush remained at Stow-on-the-wold. The Cotswold Water Park held a Black-necked Grebe at pit 65 (from 22nd), a Great White Egret at pit 41, a Bittern (12th-13th) and a Scaup at pit 57 (from 17th), 121 Red-crested Pochards at pit 44 and a Mediterranean Gull at pit 16 (22nd). The Hawling area held a Merlin, 300 Golden Plovers and 15 Corn Buntings. Another Merlin was at Snowshill (9th). Twenty Bramblings were near Edgeworth. Twelve Grey Partridges were at Harnhill. Green Sandpipers were at Daglingworth and Lower Swell. FOREST OF DEAN: The Crabtree Hill and Woorgreens area had a Great Grey Shrike, 28 Goosanders, four Jack Snipe, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (8th), 200 Siskins, 20 Lesser Redpolls and two Mealy Redpolls (7th). Up to 17 Hawfinches were at Parkend and 1,000 Redwings at Blaize Bailey. LOWER SEVERN VALE: The Richard’s Pipit remained at Arlingham. Frampton Pools held four Cattle Egrets, two Great White Egrets, five Red-crested Pochard and two Goldeneyes. A Great Grey Shrike (24th), Water Pipit and four Green Sandpipers were at Splatt Bridge. A Water Pipit remained at Berkeley Shore. A skua species and 40 Kittiwakes were in the upper estuary (23rd). Sharpness had a Common Sandpiper (6th) and four Black Redstarts. Another Black Redstart was at Kingswood (from 12th). Two Mediterranean Gulls were at Awre and one at Newnham (23rd). Two Whimbrels remained at Beachley Point. Walmore Common had two Whooper Swans and seven Bewick’s Swans. SLIMBRIDGE WWT: Highlights included a Lapland Bunting (to 21st), and two Bitterns. Wildfowl and waterbirds peak counts were 153 Mute Swans, 162 Bewick’s Swans, 170 White-fronted Geese, 272 Greylag Geese, 56 Canada Geese, 232 Barnacle Geese, nine Mandarins, 269 Shelducks, 1,176 Wigeon, 38 Gadwall, 916 Teal, 748 Mallards, 428 Pintail, 122 Shovelers, 251 Pochards, 428 Tufted Ducks, four Great Crested Grebes, eight Little Grebes, 20 Cormorants, six Grey Herons, a Little Egret, and four Water Rails. Crane numbers were up to 11 Great Crane Project birds, including the 2015 wild-reared juvenile. Raptors and owls recorded were Sparrowhawk, a male Goshawk, five Buzzards, three Peregrines, a Kestrel (6th), a female Marsh Harrier (13th), Barn Owl and Tawny Owl. Wader counts were 12 Oystercatchers, 25 Avocets, 4,000 Lapwings, 402 Golden Plovers, two Knot, 1,000 Dunlin, a Little Stint, 105 Snipe, 27 Redshanks, a Spotted Redshank, 254 Black-tailed Godwits, 190 Curlew, and 24 Ruff. There were up to 25 Great Black-backed Gulls, and a Mediterranean Gull (19th). Passerine peak counts were a Kingfisher, five Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming, 20 Sky Larks, a Grey Wagtail, 12 Pied Wagtails, 22 Fieldfares, five Redwings, six Song Thrushes singing, four Water Pipits, a Rock Pipit (23rd & 27th), 20 Meadow Pipits, seven Stonechats, a Cetti’s Warbler, four Goldcrests, Jay, and 1,200 Starlings. UPPER SEVERN VALE: The third Lesser Yellowlegs for Glos visited Coombe Hill Meadows (7th). A Great White Egret (19th) and Black-tailed Godwit were also noted. Ashleworth Ham had a Green-winged Teal (from 19th), Marsh Harrier (27th) and 19 Ruff. Two Great White Egrets remained in the Twyning area. A Black Redstart was at Kingsway, Gloucester (16th-24th). A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Port Ham (from 5th), where 98 Reed Buntings roosted. WAXWINGS: Widespread reports included 62 at Frampton Pools, 36 at Painswick, 25 at Chaxhill near Westbury, 14 at Staple Edge Wood, 12 at Bussage and 11 at Eastcombe. Andy Jayne (01452 506 502) and The Gloster Birder (www.theglosterbirder.co.uk)