American Cousins
Monday 30th September 2019
Jim and Joy, brother and sister from Oregon and California had a rather damp introduction to the Somerset Levels by dropping off the ‘Isle of Wedmore’ and on to the Levels proper to visit Tealham and Tadham moors. Here we learnt of the drainage channels called ‘Rhynes’ (pronounced ‘reens’) that helped to drain the once tidal and swampy inland sea that covered the Levels some 1500 years ago, and given the current worries over Climate Change and rising seas, may well return that way before too long. We also learned of the landmarks of Somerset which make it impossible to ever get truly lost in the county. Brent Knoll, an iron age hill fort at 449 ft, Crook Peak on the Mendip Hills at 627 ft, The Wells T.V. mast (hidden in mist) at 1000 ft, and also hidden in mist was the top of the most famous of all Somerset’s landmarks, the iconic Glastonbury Tor at 521 ft. The Tor is topped by the now roofless St Michael’s Tower in which the last Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey was hung, drawn and quartered in 1539 on the instruction of Henry VIII in the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
The birdlife on the moors was quiet, however we were met by a rather large and beautiful Mute Swan who was somewhat reluctant to move from his resting place in the middle of the road – Graeme had to get out of the car to gently usher the bird down back into the safety of a watery narrow rhyne. They are beautiful birds – but they are not the smartest. We did get other nice views of Grey Herons, a colourful large flock of Goldfinches (collectively known as a ‘charm’ of Goldfinches), there was a hovering Kestrel and a disappearing Sparrow Hawk. Meadow Pipits and Linnets were the other LBJ’s (little brown jobs) that flew by, with some House Martins and Swallows heading south looking for warmer climes to see them through the winter. At the eastern end of Tadham moor, we enjoyed a large gathering of Long-tailed Tits flitting through the trees and a rather splendid cock Pheasant.
As dusk was falling, we headed back to Walls Farm to settle in for a cosy evening as a wild storm with heavy rain endured all night and into the morning.
Tuesday 1st October 2019
Things were not looking good between the hours of 7-9.00 am. The rain absolutely hammered down, with gutters overflowing and drains flooding. Then as if by magic, or perhaps as we had planned it, at the stroke of 9 o’clock when we had agreed to depart, the rain stopped, the clouds parted, and the sun along with the birds came out. See what we can organise here at Somerset Birdwatching Holidays (!?) A lovely singing Robin was considered to be a good omen for the day ahead.
Robin
When it has been so wet for such a prolonged period, and it actually does decide to stop, all birdlife seems to rejoice and come out from their hiding places to ruffle their feathers and warm their wings in the sunshine, and as we headed off through the village of Mark (the longest village in England) we soon saw Carrion Crows, Rooks, Jackdaws, Collared Doves and many Starlings crowding along the telegraph lines.
We headed south and then west, through the town of Bridgwater towards the coast and the nature reserve called Steart Marshes. Steart Point derives its name from the old Anglo-Saxon word ‘steart’ meaning ‘tail’ as in ‘Red-Steart’ which became ‘Redstart’ – the small bird with the red tail.
Graeme had promised that we would see Cranes during our day’s outing and there they were, clear as day, from the carpark. Sadly, these were not avian Cranes, but rather those which now surround Hinckley Point Nuclear Power Station, the largest construction site in Europe. It was a very poor joke at the time and one which does not get better in the retelling.
We walked first to the Quantock Hide – named after the Quantock Hills that lie in front of it. Our first singing bird came from some dense reeds and was a Cetti’s Warbler – a small brown bird with a big powerful song – rarely seen, as it skulks in the middle of dense reed beds. A Magpie flew off and more Starlings chuntered to each other on a large pylon.
All at once from the lagoon hidden by a raised bank, the sky filled with many hundreds of gulls and waders. Something had spooked them. Graeme suggested perhaps a hunting Peregrine, and sure enough once we were able to peek over the top of the grassy ridge Graeme zoomed in with his telescope onto a fierce male Peregrine, mantling over some poor twitching carcass that seconds earlier had been a healthy Teal duck (the smallest British duck).
Once we reached the hide, we were able to get great views of this magnificent bird plucking the feathers off its prey and spreading white down all around.
All other birds on the lagoon had now resettled and there was a great gathering of birds of many different shapes and sizes. There was a large flock of mixed waders that included Dunlin, Redshank, and larger Bar-tailed Godwits, with Lapwings and a good gathering of Golden Plovers. Amongst these plovers was one slightly larger and darker marked plover which seemed to be acting in an agitated manner, bossing the other plovers and throwing its weight around. We all had a good laugh when it was confirmed to be one of our American cousins – none other than an American Golden Plover! It may not have been as exciting for our guests, but an American Golden Plover it indeed a rarity in Somerset and was the first time we had ever positively ID’d one in the county. There were many large Shelducks, and Little Egrets and a resting Buzzard on a fence post. At one point all the Dunlins rose together and flew around in tight formation looking just like a shoal of fish sparkling in the sunlight. Gulls in attendance were mostly Black-headed Gulls now in their winter plumage i.e. they had lost their black heads – there were also several larger Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and Herring Gulls.
Moving on we went up to the Mendip Hide which (you’ve guessed it) overlooks the Mendip Hills. This hide is usually unproductive, however as there had been such a high tide that morning along with the heavy overnight rain meant that the lagoon there was overflowing with water and a good number of birds too – the highlights were many Little Egrets and a wonderful female Marsh Harrier – a chocolate brown raptor with a cream-coloured head. It sat some distance off, ruffling her feathers in the warming air, content as we all got good clear views through the telescope.
Walking back to the car we once again heard Cetti’s Warbler singing and had fleeting views of a Reed Bunting flying overhead.
We drove the short distance to Wall Common, for a welcome tea break after which we gave up on any thought of walking over to the beach, as the whole Common was awash with floodwater from the heavy rains. Disappointing for us, but perfect conditions for the six Little Egrets feeding in the water.
We left Steart Point and headed back inland passing the scene where the last pitched battle took place on English soil, that of the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685 by the village of Westonzoyland.
Our next target bird was to be the Cranes that Graeme had promised earlier in the morning – this time the avian ones. We stopped at the hamlet of Stathe by the River Parrett and unexpectedly saw a couple of Mistle Thrushes disappearing into a sycamore tree. We then scanned across Aller Moor, looking for these large but somewhat elusive birds that had recently been part of a breeding/re-introduction scheme. Sadly, they did not show, perhaps due to the high level of agricultural work going on in the area or the dredging that was being undertaken by two or three huge mechanical diggers. The was one more chance, and we agreed to give it a go by driving a further mile down a narrowing lane to a high railway bridge which gives good clear views across the vast expanse of West Sedgemoor. When we got there, there was a chap standing on the top of the bridge with a very long lensed camera – promising we thought, perhaps he had been photographing the Cranes?
Graeme asked if he had seen any. “Any what?” he said.
“Cranes” Graeme replied.
At which point a thundering green train hurtled underneath the bridge.
The man shook his head and said “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m here for the trains”
He was a train-spotter, not a bird spotter!
Undeterred we continued to scan the surrounding countryside and after just a few minutes Graeme announced with great excitement that he had them in his scope – a group of 5 Cranes – 2 adults and three fully grown youngsters. Much delight all round.
Skies were darkening although a bright rainbow shone over the ruined church at Burrow Mump (a mini version of Glastonbury Tor). Fortunately it was just a passing shower and we had time for one more quick historic detour to Athelney, when in the year 878 King Alfred the Great retreated to this remote spot to gather his thoughts before going on to defeat the invading Danes and in turn united the Anglo Saxon tribes to create what we now know as England. It was at Athelney where the fable of Alfred ‘burning the cakes’ is supposed to have taken place – when the King who had come in disguise as a commoner had been given the task to keep an eye on some baking cakes. He was so engrossed in the woes of his kingdom that the cakes burnt, and he was scolded by a humble maid. The allegory being ‘that he had taken his eyes off his kingdom’ – and had now learnt his lesson.
When has the truth ever got in the way of a good story?
We certainly had a good lunch in Alfred’s favourite pub named in his honour at nearby Burrowbridge.
The rain had cleared whilst we were having lunch, and the rest of the afternoon looked settled and bright. We crossed the Polden Hills back into the northern Levels, and our first stop of the afternoon was at the Somerset Wildlife Trust’s reserve at Catcott. The hide here gives excellent wide views across a lagoon with Glastonbury Tor in the distance.
Around the lagoon and around some grazing cattle were many Cattle Egrets, all doing what Cattle Egrets do - watching for insects and amphibians disturbed by the grazing cattle. Amongst the long grass was to be our third Egret of the day with a splendid Great White Egret showing off its extremely long neck as it stealthily stalked frogs or some other unlucky creature. High above in a blue sky, a kestrel was soaring along with a distant Hobby chasing dragonflies.
Our last visit was to the RSPB’s flagship reserve at Ham Wall (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). Almost as soon as we had got out of the car another Hobby falcon flew above our heads with its long boomerang-shaped wings and characteristic trailing legs with which they munch their caught dragonflies. It was a great view of a great bird.
We then walked along the old railway line which gave good open views over a large reedbed habitat that only 25 years ago would have been an industrial landscape of peat extraction. Now the reserve is dripping with birds, and we quickly saw Gadwall ducks, Coots, Moorhens, more Great White Egrets and a highlight of our second Marsh Harrier of the day. On the larger ponds were many Mute Swans, Cormorants, Little Grebes, and most graceful Great-crested Grebes. These reedbeds in a few weeks’ time will host up to half a million Starlings each evening when they gather in spectacular murmurations to roost at dusk – A truly spectacular spectacle.
Walking back to the car in now beautiful evening sunlight, the birds kept coming. More Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits and Robins along with two lovely olive-green Chiffchaffs that worked through the high branches of some birch trees draped in autumnal gold.
It had been a most enjoyable day and great company. Our New World guests had really enjoyed our Old World birds.
Let’s be honest, any day you get to see Peregrine, Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Sparrow Hawk and Hobby along all three breeding Egrets has got to be a good day whichever side of the Atlantic you are on.