Different. Bart and Ruby have nested before, but I don't think they have previously hatched a chick.
Slimbridge WWT Slimbridge WWT
- Thread starter zoogiraffe
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Some sad news from last week, Bart and Ruby's elder chick killed its younger sibling. This is not particularly unusual among cranes, but perhaps a more experienced pair would have avoided the situation. Of course it does improve the surviving chick's chance of fledging, which is perhaps why such behaviour has evolved.
I hope to visit Slimbridge soon, but I don't know whether I will get a chance to see the crane family.
I hope to visit Slimbridge soon, but I don't know whether I will get a chance to see the crane family.
Visited Slimbridge today and was lucky enough to have very distant views of the family across the South Lake. The chick seems very vigourous and active and the adult pair are doing a good job, to the annoyance of the local avocets and black-headed gulls. I will try to post a record photo tomorrow.
Any news on flamingo breeding success in the various species (esp. lesser and greater)?
I'm sorry to say that I spent almost my entire visit in the South Lakes hide, so I didn't see the lessers, greaters or Chileans. I did walk past the ends of the Anden and Caribbean pens: no action with Andeans, but there are several Caribbeans nesting and I spotted one part-grown chick (there may well have been others as it's a large flock).
I had a very good day at Slimbridge last Thursday , on my way to the Birdfair at Rutland Water . WWT had a stand at the Birdfair , I asked about the Spoon-billed Sandpipers at Slimbridge and was told there had been no successful breeding in 2017 .
There was a good variety of waders seen from the various hides at Slimbridge . I took the LandRover Safari for the first time . It passed the extensive off-show breeding and rearing areas . The normal route along the Sea-wall was too wet , so the fields were taken to the reed beds and back . A number of corrugated sheets sheltered quite a few Grass Snakes . Nesting Common Terns on artificial islands were seen , also Marsh Harriers , and surprisingly , a wild female Mandarin Duck . I also took the Summer Path out to the Sea-wall for the first time .
I checked out the Flamingo flocks . There were quite a few well-grown chicks in the enormous Greater Flamingo group , I only saw a single large chick in the Caribbean flock , the Chileans were nesting ( late as usual ) no chicks were seen . The Lessers seem to have built some nests in their House but these were abandoned .
An online article about future developments at Slimbridge states that the Tropical House is due for demolition soon . I would like to see a new bigger replacement but do not think it is part of current plans . I have always enjoyed spending time in the current Tropical House , particularly to warm up on winter visits , I will miss it .
There was a good variety of waders seen from the various hides at Slimbridge . I took the LandRover Safari for the first time . It passed the extensive off-show breeding and rearing areas . The normal route along the Sea-wall was too wet , so the fields were taken to the reed beds and back . A number of corrugated sheets sheltered quite a few Grass Snakes . Nesting Common Terns on artificial islands were seen , also Marsh Harriers , and surprisingly , a wild female Mandarin Duck . I also took the Summer Path out to the Sea-wall for the first time .
I checked out the Flamingo flocks . There were quite a few well-grown chicks in the enormous Greater Flamingo group , I only saw a single large chick in the Caribbean flock , the Chileans were nesting ( late as usual ) no chicks were seen . The Lessers seem to have built some nests in their House but these were abandoned .
An online article about future developments at Slimbridge states that the Tropical House is due for demolition soon . I would like to see a new bigger replacement but do not think it is part of current plans . I have always enjoyed spending time in the current Tropical House , particularly to warm up on winter visits , I will miss it .
OTTER UP A TREE? I visited for the first time today - fantastic!! One of the standouts was watching an adult NA River Otter climb a fairly big tree, hang out for a while and then very comfortably get back down! Has anyone ever seen this before?
I loved seeing the Greater Flamingos so close at eye level. Will they import any more James's Flamingos at any point? I thought the collection was fab but Rails & Pelicans would be sensible additions as would some Shoebills and possibly some Ibis/Adjudant storks/mangrove birds?
I will definitely return!
Anyone know if the Crane pair at Slimbridge succeeded in rearing their other chick? Apparently overall it wasn't a very good year for them, attributed possibly to the very dry weather in May.
Unfortunately the chick was last seen on 25th July. It is not clear what happened, but it obviously did not survive until fledging. A total of four birds were fledged in Somerset and more details will become available when the Great Crane Project's Annual Report is published.
The report mentioned above is now available at Annual Reports | The Great Crane Project
Realy impresive to see how all these people are working together to bring the crane back to the UK ! Great !
Visited last Friday for a few hours , always a real pleasure . Disinfectant mats are back at the entrance and other points and the flamingos are all locked in ( also at Llanelli ) for bird flu precautions . The Chilean flamingos bred last year , for the first time in a while .
The area from in front of the Otters , around to the path leading from the Tropical House is all blocked off for the new Wetlands Aviary and Arena development , though there was not much sign of on-going work . The Tropical House is still standing , though I suspect it is empty as no sign of any emissions from the boiler chimneys on a cold day .
Vast numbers of wintering wild birds still present . There seemed to be big flocks of lapwing in every field , also many wigeon . The Bewick's swans that had not left were very vocal . Nice to see a flock of avocet on the South Lake . Several pairs of crane were seen in the distance .
I can remember when the wintering white-fronted geese were in the 10's of thousands , now they are in low hundreds .
The area from in front of the Otters , around to the path leading from the Tropical House is all blocked off for the new Wetlands Aviary and Arena development , though there was not much sign of on-going work . The Tropical House is still standing , though I suspect it is empty as no sign of any emissions from the boiler chimneys on a cold day .
Vast numbers of wintering wild birds still present . There seemed to be big flocks of lapwing in every field , also many wigeon . The Bewick's swans that had not left were very vocal . Nice to see a flock of avocet on the South Lake . Several pairs of crane were seen in the distance .
I can remember when the wintering white-fronted geese were in the 10's of thousands , now they are in low hundreds .
I was there the other day too. The disinfectant mats are still in place. All Flamingoes still indoors. Work was evident in the closed off/ Wetlands aviary area. Vast numbers of wintering birds still present- many Wigeon in particular, Shoveler and good number of Pintail too, plus Lapwings, Godwits etc. Saw two pairs of Cranes out on the marshes. Only about 140 Whitefronted Geese but there was a Red-Breasted with them(believed to be an escapee rather than wild bird though) But the Bewicks Swans have all left now. Of interest to me was a buff-coloured Greylag goose, its a female aged about 3 and is well known at Slimbridge apparently.
Three pairs of crane have hatched and are rearing chicks this year . Bart and Ruby on the South Lake hatched chicks around 22 May . Monty and Sedge in the Rushy Pen , chicks hatched around 1 June . Oakie and Sherbert seen from the Zeiss Hide hatched chicks around 8 June .
Taken from the Slimbridge Wildlife Sighting reports .
Taken from the Slimbridge Wildlife Sighting reports .
Has anyone noticed the Madagascar Pochards on the walk to the kingfisher hide? I was really excited today when I stumbled upon them. Tip: they are being transported back to Madagascar at an unspecified date in Autumn! They have floating cages with tufted duck as a test but it seems they have some mad poch's now!
I was at Slimbridge yesterday . I am not aware that WWT have imported any Madagascar pochards . I think there were some young moorhen in the floating pen you refer to , so it is probably open for birds to enter and exit .
The cranes have fledged 3 chicks , a total of 5 pairs nested over the wider reserve . Bart and Ruby with their 2 chicks were on the scrape in front of the Hogarth Hide early afternoon , but then flew off .
There are chicks in 4 of the Flamingo flocks . Both greater and Caribbeans have a few well-grown chicks , some of the greaters were nesting again . The Chileans are still nesting and have chicks . For the first time in many years the Andeans nested and laid 8 eggs , unfortunately these were all infertile . Six Chilean eggs were substituted and the chicks are now being reared by the Andeans .
The Tundra Pen is closed and being redeveloped , it will include a replica Explorer's Hut . Peter Scott's house is covered in scaffolding . A replica Goose Hunter's Hut is being built at the end of the Summer Walkway . No sign of work on the major development planned for the area where the Tropical House was .
I was wondering if any of the members of this page have any of the WWT pin badges they would like to let go of.
If so please P/M me or leave a message on here any of the badges would interest me plain white carded or the Picture card ones please.
If so please P/M me or leave a message on here any of the badges would interest me plain white carded or the Picture card ones please.
The current Madagascar Pochard recovery project has never planned for any of them to leave Madagascar. They were of course in Europe in the 1930s, but were lost during the Second World War.