A combination of bad weather and ill health reduced our party to only three people but we were joined by Peter Otley a Volunteer who spent the morning showing us what was around at Slimbridge. Mark Wardle, the Volunteer manning the information desk, also gave us advice on where to go and what to see. Both Mark and Peter are Nature Group members.
The weather was fairly dull but dry all day. We started with goods views of various waders stopping off at Slimbridge on their migration south including Black-tailed Godwits. The ducks are difficult to identify during the autumn moult.
We then climbed the Tower hide and had great views of Cranes - about a dozen including this year's young.
The rest of the morning was very exciting watching a pair of Hobbies resting and hunting Dragonflies in front of the Kingfisher Hide. At one point I took a sequence of what I thought were two Hobbies chasing each other but the photographs later revealed it was a Sparrowhawk chasing a Hobby.
After lunch at the cafe, the afternoon was spent at South Lake with good views of Avocets and lots of Ducks and Waders
For more events to attend go to Nature (rps.org)
