SOMERSET LEVELS TOUR 3 – FEB 6TH 2011

Day 2 - Shapwick Heath - Ham Wall - Cheddar Reservoir - Chew Valley Lake

An early start found us at Shapwick Heath at 7am to watch the starlings errupt from their roost site. We knew exactly where they had roosted because we saw them fly in the night before. They were magnificent, the noise was unbelievable and the show was incredible. It lasted about 30 minutes with a finale that superbly topped the show, a last outburst of sight and sound errupted right in front of us and the whole sky was covered in a mass of birds. You could see clouds of them in every direction, what a finish! We also saw Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard and heard a couple of Water rails.

After a hearty breakfast back at the hotel we set off for Ham Wall Nature Reserve. Along the track we stopped to watch a bird feeder in action, lots Blue and Great Tits, Robin, Chaffinch, Dunnock and Starling. At the main lagoon a Marsh Harrier flew across the reedbed just as we arrived and a few of saw briefly, a Bittern, in flight. There was also good numbers Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, Gadwall and Mallard. From the 'blinds' we saw a second Bittern in flight, it flew against the strong wind and right across our bow, magnificent sighting.

Next we walked across to the Shapwick Nature Reserve and on the Meare lagoon we found lots more ducks including Goldeneye and a Whooper Swan. The walk to hide that overlooks Noah's Lake was uneventful because the strong wind was keeping the small birds down. From the hide we added Canada and Geylag Goose, Great Crested Grebe, more Goldeneye and a Pintail.

We then drove over to Cheddar Reservoir and had a windy but dry walk along the raised perimeter. We had to walk a fair distance as all the birds had be pushed up at one side in order to keep away from the sailing boats and surfers. There were about 1,000 Common Coot and with them a good variety of other species. We found 3 grebe species, Great-crested, Little and Black-necked, Common and Red-crested Pochard, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Teal, Scaup (2) and Gadwall. there was also Common and Lesser Black-backed Gull. A good number of Pied Wagtails were joined by a single Grey Wagtail and a small flock of Linnets fed on the grassy slope down by the water's edge.

We left Cheddar by driving up through the gorge, eating our lunch in a pull-in near a woodland walk. From the we drove over the Mendips to Chew Valley Lake where we visited Herriot's Bridge first. It was less windy now but still dull and overcast, from the bridge we saw Common Shelduck, Pintail, Goldeneye, a flock of Dunlin, Lapwings, herring gulls and many of the duck species seen earlier in the trip.

At the visitor's centre we took a coffee break, then we drove around to Heron's Green Pool. from there we walked to some nearby fields and a found a flock of Chaffinch which also held a single male Brambling. From the causeway we searched for more species but found lots of Shoveler, Pochard, Goosander, Teal, Wigeon and a couple of Raven. We waited and hour for a Barn Owl to appear which it duly did, then it disappeared after 30 seconds and left it another 20 minutes before it came out to show itself fully. It was worth the wait, we drove home happy but cold!