Slimbridge (again)

2nd Summer Common Crane

After scrubbing off Common Crane from my year list (as the birds I saw earlier in the year were from the Great Crane Project and not wild), I decided to make my way down to Slimbridge today as a juvenile wild Common Crane had flown into the reserve and was spending time with the captive birds in their pen.

It so happened that a wild un-ringed Ruddy Shelduck was doing the same thing in the Asia Pen.  So, the visit was well worth it to obtain two year ticks in one go (although Ruddy Shelduck should probably be scrubbed if I am to be a total purist and go by the BOU approved list).

After securing both birds within 5 minutes of arrival, myself and my birders wife took time to go round the captive birds and the mammals, including the Otters, Water Voles, Water Shrews and Harvest Mice. All of these must have been recently fed as we saw all them quite easily, fascinating, we didn't realise how small Harvest Mice are.

Female Ruddy Shelduck