New Year visit to the Patch

It had been a while since I had walked round the Patch, it had been even longer since I had walked round on my own. Friday 3rd January 2020, I had the afternoon to myself, and the Patch was on.

On the pond were the obligatory groups of gadwalls, which struck me as always to be twitchy ducks – flighty, you might say. They never hang around – as soon as you start down the path, they are gone. It was a bright sunny afternoon, with a light breeze, a perfect day to blow away any cobwebs still lurking from the new year.

Long-tailed tits followed me down the hedges of willow and then joined by some smaller birds which turned out to be goldcrest and chiffchaff. Teal had sprung up from the flooded ponds that surround the dark roots at the base of some of the larger willows – they were flighty too.

In the oak wood, all was still, save for a few chaffinches, squabbling blackbirds, blue titsand a sole redwing, then as I stepped on a branch two woodcock flew off from the floor of the wood and out into the sunshine beyond the cover of the trees.

Heading back into the reedbeds there was a loud chirrup-cum-warble of the Cetti’s, and this time I got a quick sighting of two birds that just seemed to vanish into the reeds right before my eyes.

Now on the avenue, more Long-tailed tits were amongst the birch, and a bold wren sang out almost as loud as the Cetti’s. A great spotted woodpecker drummed in the distance and a decent sized flock of lapwings flew overhead above the canopy.

I was inspecting some recent badger action at the side of the track when a handsome male marsh harrier appeared over the reedbeds and worked his way up and down and side to side across his patch. I may consider this to be my ‘Patch’, but there is no doubt who is the boss here. I was well hidden by the trees and enjoyed a wonderful view for several minutes of this beautiful raptor going about his business on a sunny Friday afternoon.

At the end of the Avenue two swans were dabbling in a large puddle and I passed them quietly, both of us having assessed and acknowledged our presence.

A snipe shot up in a sneeze – as they do, and blue tits peeped around as I scrambled over two fallen birch trees and getting tangled somewhat in some trailing vines.

Out on the South Drain, it was still bright and sunny – nothing was about, but I did have a smile to myself as I recalled the hobbies of the early summer seen here and the whitethroats, cuckoos and sedge warblers that I have seen from this spot. Soon they’ll be back.

Along the wet grassy bank was clearly a track made by an otter who must regularly pass this way, and at one point I could clearly see some paw-prints. No doubt this is now good otter country – nice to know that they are there.

otter tracks

The long walk down the central reedbeds did not bring much. I noticed someone had attached a motion-triggered camera strapped to a tree, close to the water – perhaps someone hoping to get a photo of the otter? But other than two more disappearing snipe all was quiet.

More ducks were waiting at the end of my walk. Again, gadwall did not hang around, but the several pairs of shoveler stayed put, and there was a single male tufted duck looking rather splendid in the low sunshine – his yellow eye really standing out.

The new year is underway, I wonder what will be the birding highlights in Somerset in 2020?

Watch this space.

All quiet on the Patch