Trip Report 15-17 January 2020

Wednesday 15th January

A bright and breezy afternoon, in which we dodged any showers, and we headed out across Tealham and Tadham Moors, seeing large flocks of Fieldfares, Redwings and Starlings en route. On the moor itself we immediate came across several Little Egrets and two Great White Egrets – our star bird, but now easy to see in most marshy locations – as well as two distant Ravens.

We then headed down to the Avalon Marshes for the Starling roost, which in the past week had moved from its regular spot at RSPB Ham Wall and into the Natural England Shapwick & Meare Heaths reserve. As we crossed the road we noticed two Whooper Swans in flight – sadly we couldn’t locate them later on. The trees by the footpath were home to a singing Robin, Coal Tit, Bullfinch and a flock of Long-tailed Tits, while over the reedbed we had our first views of two female Marsh Harriers – two of at least 20 we saw during the afternoon!

Meare Heath pool was packed with ducks: at least 350 Gadwall, Shoveler, Mallard, Tufted Duck and Wigeon, as well as lots of Coots and one Great Crested Grebe. Cetti’s Warblers sang as we watched more Marsh Harriers. We walked along to the Roughet, an area of reeds beyond Noah’s Lake. The first flock of Starlings appeared at 4.15pm, ten minutes before sunset; there was then a nervous delay as we wondered if they were roosting elsewhere. Fortunately, ten minutes later they began to arrive, along with lots of Marsh Harriers; then Graeme’s eagle eyes spotted a ‘ringtail’ (female or immature) Hen Harrier.

Ringtail Harrier

By 4.35pm, the Starlings really began to concentrate into a murmuration against a glowing red sunset, when chased briefly by a Sparrowhawk, while we also saw a Buzzard and then a Peregrine (our 5th raptor in an hour!) flew menacingly above the flock but did not attack, perhaps because by then dusk was falling.

Shapwick’s starlings in action

As we walked back, well satisfied with an excellent spectacle, we saw several Great White and Little Egrets coming in to roost, Redwings, Fieldfares and even more Marsh Harriers; and the odd late flock of Starlings coming in as late as five p.m. Finally we noticed at least 250 Jackdaws roosting on dead trees in the Meare Heath reedbed opposite Noah’s Lake. We then took the long walk back to the car park and drove back to Walls Farm where we enjoyed a lovely supper from Kay.

Thursday 16th January

After brief views of a Sparrowhawk by Stephen’s home in Mark, we headed west to the WWT reserve at Steart Marshes, as the rain and wind started to bite. We were welcomed by a lovely flock of Goldfinches in the car park and a hovering female Kestrel which managed to hold its own against a strengthening wind, recalling its old folk name ‘windhover’.

We walked along the path to the Quantock Hide, from which we saw several thousand ducks and waders: mostly Teal and Lapwing, with smaller numbers of Golden Plover (glowing in the morning light), Shoveler, Wigeon, Shelduck and Dunlin, one Little Egret and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. As the tide rose we noticed more flocks of Dunlin coming in, presumably from the coast, and a couple of Redshanks. In the strong winds, the Lapwings and Golden Plover were swooping around, creating quite a spectacle. As we left the hide we noticed a Skylark and several Pheasants, and on the way back, Chaffinches and another great view of the female Kestrel.By the time we reached Stathe, near Burrowbridge, the rain was really beating down. Nevertheless, we scanned the area east of the River Parrett, and finally caught sight of three or four Cranes in flight, and another three on the ground. However the views were very distant and fleeting, so we headed up to the railway bridge over the main London to Penzance line, where we picked out four Cranes feeding on Aller Moor, which gave good scope views. Water levels here were the highest we have seen since the infamous 2013-14 floods, with the Parrett lapping the bottom of the bridge at Stathe, and pools of water near the railway bridge, home to large flocks of Mute Swans but not much else.

After a welcome drink, meal and warning up at the King Alfred Inn (our regular lunchtime spot!) we headed back north to RSPB Greylake Reserve. This is one of our favourite spots, and despite high water levels the birds did not disappoint. We enjoyed amazing close-up scope views of half-a-dozen Common Snipe, Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler, along with more distant Pintail (5 males and 1 female) and Gadwall. The ducks were closing their cream-coloured eyelids against the rain and wind, and we were so close we could see the droplets of water on their plumage. We also enjoyed unusual views of a rather bedraggled female Marsh Harrier perched close to the hide, showing off her bright (and very long!) yellow legs. The very active Teal were calling throughout our stay here, adding to the atmosphere.

A well-flooded RSPB Greylake

As the rain and wind got even worse we decided to forgo the Starling roost and instead enjoyed the relative comfort of the hide at Catcott Lows (a Somerset Wildlife Trust reserve). Again we had wonderful views of Wigeon (at least 1000), Greylag Goose, 20 Canada Geese, and (coincidentally or not?) 5 male and 1 female Pintail. On the way back to Walls Farm we saw at least a dozen Little Egrets along the Burtle-Westhay road, but sadly no Cattle Egrets!

Friday 17th January  

Another windy, cloudy morning, but with the prospect of improving weather, as we set out westwards. We started off at West Huntspill, where the trees around the 13th-century church were filled with noisy Rooks. Not much else, though the field south of the churchyard was packed with Herring Gulls, Jackdaws and more Rooks, all feeding on the flooded grass, and the first snowdrops were also seen. We popped into the church, where Stephen did his ‘party piece’ of reciting the opening of Philip Larkin’s poem ‘Church Going’.

Next stop was the bridge over the Huntspill River at Sloway Lane, where even before he stopped the van Graeme spotted three splendid drake Goosanders, while a female was on the other side, along with a Moorhen. Unfortunately, at the sluice itself the wind was very strong, and the tide extremely high; nevertheless we saw a couple of Curlews, about 300 Teal and Wigeon, 20 Canada Geese, lots of Shelduck, and some Avocets along the far bank. Further along there were flocks of Grey Plover and Dunlin heading upstream, and great views across to Steep Holm and Wales!

A splendid darake Goosander

We then headed north up the A38 – “the longest country lane in England” – seeing Collared Doves and a hovering Kestrel en route, and after a brief coffee stop in the King’s Wood car park next Cheddar we headed to Cheddar Reservoir itself. Lots of Coots over the far side, Cormorants, Black-headed and Common Gulls and Great Crested Grebes – several in breeding plumage, including a pair displaying to one another. Then it was off to Cheddar village for our traditional final stop.

Here Graeme caught a brief glimpse of a Kingfisher which sadly the rest of us missed; compensation came in the shape of a pair of Grey Wagtails giving excellent views. Then, after buying some extremely flavoursome Cheddar cheese, we headed back to Walls Farm where the tour concluded.

Overall, the heavy rain and strong winds did keep the total species list down, but we all agreed that we had enjoyed some wonderful close-up views, great experiences and some top birds, of which the top three were Crane, Hen Harrier and the now commonplace – but still splendid – Great White Egret.

TOTAL SPECIES: 69