A dull miserable, wet day with a biting easterly wind which got colder and colder as the day went on - perfect you might say for a good old English birding day out.
I collected my group from their hotel in Meare at 7:30am it was dark and it was raining. We drove the short distance to ham Wall and walked along the old railway track to view the reedbeds. As it got light the reedbeds erupted as thousand upon thousands of Common Starlings left their roost. It was truly spectacular, most of the birds came over the top of us and the noise was deafening. A couple of Marsh Harriers swooped into the masses of birds but we didn't see a 'hit'.
After the Starling fest we walked back to the car park noting many species in the clear light of day: Long-tailed Tit, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and on the water and marshes we saw Common Snipe, Gadwall, Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal & Mallard, Pied Wagtail, Little & Great White Egret (3), Great Cormorant, Mute Swan & Grey heron. We also heard several Water rails and cetti's Warblers.
Back at the hotel we ate a lovely breakfast before setting off for Westhay Moor - this trip was very short lived as the rain came down much heavier, the pathways were flooded and not many birds were in view, so we abandoned Westhay and drove to Catcott Low.
The large hide at Catcott looks over a huge flooded meadow which is managed for breeding waders, today it was full of ducks and quite a few Common Snipe. Hundreds of Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler and Mallards were joined by lesser numbers of Northern Pintail. We also saw Common Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon and a Common Kestrel.
Next we stopped off in Ashcot to buy our lunch before driving down to Greylake RSPB reserve. In the car park there we found Reed Buntings using the feeders and from the hide where we ate our lunch we were bowled over by the number birds present. Common Snipe numbers must have exceeded 100 whilst Teal , Wigeon, Shoveler and Gadwall numbered in their hundreds, as did Lapwing. We saw half a dozen Little Egrets too and a pair of Peregrine falcons sitting on a fence. A raptor flashed across the water scattering the wildfowl and then it perched on a fence post, a fine female Merlin had graced us with its presence. Fantastic really for all the group to get in-scope-views of such an elusive species.
 |
| female Merlin at Greylake today |
On the boardwalk two or three of the group found Brambling (3) and as we set off to search for Cranes we saw a large flock of Fieldfares. We spent an hour or so searching in vain for the Cranes and eventually gave up. Our last stop was back at Greylake which produced a Ruff which was feeding in amongst a large flock of Lapwings.
We returned to ham Wall and then walk across to Shapwick heath where we found another Great White Egret and to our great delight a flock of 10 Whooper Swans flew over us. Our return to the Starling roost was disappointing, it was very cold and windy which rain in the air. The Starling didn't like it and quickly dropped down into the reedbeds to roost, not a flying murmuration tonight.
At 5pm we were back at the hotel which gave us good time to get warm and ready for dinner.
ADDITIONS TO NEW YEAR LIST
98. Marsh Harrier.
99. Lesser Redpoll
100. Great White Egret
101. Gadwall
102. Whooper Swan
103. Merlin
No comments:
Post a Comment