Merlin the Magnificent

Trip report

6th-8th February 2020

Tour Leaders: Stephen Moss & Graeme Mitchell

Thursday 6th February

After a soggy and blustery January it was a relief to see the weather forecast for the next few days: sunny, cold, bright and dry, with light winds – ideal for seeing a range of birds. We headed away from Walls Farm at 2pm, picked up Stephen en route and headed towards Tealham Moor, one of our favourite local spots. On the way we saw Lesser Black-backed Gull, Buzzard, and large flocks of Redwings, Fieldfares and Starlings, as well as three splendid Roe Deer looking at us from a nearby field. 

Tealham Moor produced brief views of a male Stonechat, several Great White Egrets (the first of many!), Little Egret, lots of Mute Swans, several hundred Lapwings and a very distant Peregrine, circling and behaving like a sparrowhawk! As we neared the junction with the main road a Raven flew very close, being chased by a Jackdaw, and showing off its huge beak and wedge-shaped tail.

Ham Wall car park was surprisingly full for a weekday, and we headed into the reserve, seeing a perched Reed Bunting, hearing squealing Water Rails and a Little Grebe uttering its horse-like whinnying call, and the usual ducks: including quite a few handsome male Pochards as well as the more usual Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler, Tufted Duck and Mallard. From the first viewing platform we saw more ducks and Lapwings, and in beautiful light we enjoyed watching Great White Egrets (including four in flight and one submerged up to its wings, bathing!), a young male Marsh Harrier floating over the reedbed, a pair of Great Crested Grebes building not one but two floating nests – which one will they choose, we wonder – and a group of Teal courting. Close to the platform we spotted a Wren and a Chiffchaff, launching itself into the air to catch insects. Then Gary’s sharp-eyes spotted a Bittern hiding halfway up a clump of reeds, just behind a Great White (egret, not shark!). We managed to get close-up views of at least part of the bird through the scope.

bittern hiding in the reeds

Then we walked back along the old railway path towards Shapwick and Meare Heath reserves. As we entered we spotted a pair of Bullfinches feeding on buds and showing well in the scope; on Meare Heath lake there were lots more ducks, and small flocks of Long-tailed Tits along the path; while we also heard several Cetti’s Warblers singing their loud, explosive song from deep in the bankside vegetation. 

The first Starling flock passed overhead just before 5pm (sunset was roughly 5.10pm), but as more and more flocks appeared we realised they were not planning to settle on the reedbed in front of us; instead they were heading in a northwesterly direction towards an unknown roosting site. Compensation came in the form of a hunting Sparrowhawk, passing Kestrel and, on the way out, we heard a croaking Pheasant as dusk fell. Then a short drive back to Walls Farm (without any Barn Owls this time), and a lovely supper from Kay.

Friday 7th February 

A cold, breezy but still sunny morning as we arrived at the WWT reserve at Steart Marshes. As always the birding started in the car park, with a dozen Meadow Pipits and a few Goldfinches flitting over, followed by a male Stonechat as we walked along towards the Quantock Hide. From the right-hand hide, we could see the usual panoply of ducks, with Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon and a few Shelduck, 2 Little Grebes in breeding plumage. Waders were here in force: at least 1000 Lapwings and 1200 Golden Plovers, plus one each of Avocet, Dunlin and Redshank and a pair of noisy Oystercatchers. The Lapwings and Goldies then took to the air, wheeling about low over the mud and water with their wings whooshing – a spectacular sight in the morning sunshine. 

From the left of the hide, Gary once again came up trumps with a splendid female Merlin perched on a gatepost and preened in full view, showing off its distinctive dark brown back, barred tail, head pattern and stocky, compact shape. On the way back to the car park for coffee we enjoyed watching a Raven twisting 180 degrees so that for a moment or to it was flying upside down, as well as three Stock Doves and a Kestrel doing its ‘windhover’ act. 

merlin

We then headed over to West Sedgemoor, where we stopped at the railway bridge and looked out over this huge but inaccessible RSPB reserve. We soon spotted a pair of Common Cranes, and having had distant scope views we drove a short way up the hill to Dewlands Farm were we could look over the marshy area and enjoy closer views of these magnificent birds (one of which was colour-ringed), plus lots of Lapwings, several Great White and Little Egrets, and a great view, after which we felt we deserved our lunch at the excellent King Alfred Inn at Burrowbridge. 

After lunch we drove the short distance north to RSPB Greylake, a much smaller reserve, where we enjoyed close-up views of at least a dozen Common Snipe, together with Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall and at least ten Pintails, including splendid males (which, as one client remarked, look like “a duck with a suit on”). At least ten distant Great White Egrets, Little Egret, flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plovers, Marsh Harrier and a passing Sparrowhawk completed an excellent line-up.

The next stop was Catcott Lows, just over the Polden Hills, where the hide looks out onto a lagoon with at least 1000 Wigeon, some of which were so close we could see every details of their plumage through the scope, including the dark green patch behind the male’s eye. Also several male Pintail (one tinged orange by the water), yet another Great White Egret, and a Buzzard perched on a post just to the left of the hide, showing off his splendid plumage.

We then went in search of the Starling roost, stopping on the Burtle-Westhay road east of Westhay Heath, where we spotted two Cattle Egrets amongst a flock of about 30 Mute Swans. As we watched the egrets, thousands of Starlings descended towards the field and began to ‘murmurate’, suggesting that even at this early hour (about 4.30) they were about to head down to roost. We turned swiftly around and headed back to the pool at Westhay Heath, where sure enough the flocks were starting to mass above our heads and in the distance. For the next 20 minutes or so we enjoyed good views of the Starlings as they arrived, plus a supporting cast of male Marsh Harrier and Great White Egret. By 5.30 they had all finally landed, so we headed back to Walls Farm and supper once again.

Saturday 8th February 

A milder and sunny morning ahead of a big storm later this weekend, saw us heading first to West Huntspill churchyard, where the first pair of Grey Herons were already in the heronry, having started to nest. Singing Starlings, Robin and Great Tit, Collared Doves and very noisy flocks of Rooks and Jackdaws completed the sense that spring was just around the corner, while in the churchyard itself we enjoyed close-up views of a tiny male Goldcrest singing his delightful spring song and a small flock of Long-tailed Tits. 

Sloway Lane bridge over the Huntspill River was less good, with just a few Moorhens and Mallards, so we headed down to the sluice (with a pair of Stock Doves on the owl box en route – presumably breeding there). The river level was very low, with water coming through the sluice itself (High Tide was not until 12.30, and Steart Point and Island were actually connected), but we still saw flocks of Redshanks, Teal, Wigeon and lots of Avocets feeding on the far bank of the Parrett, or flying upstream. The grassy area just above the tideline gave us close views of three Skylarks, with another dozen and a small flock of Linnets passing overhead, plus six Ravens, two of which came very close, showing their distinctive wedge-shaped tail, shaggy neck, huge bill and long wings. 

At Cheddar Reservoir we only added Common Gull to the trip list, with feeding Black-headed Gulls and Cormorants, a singing Goldcrest and two very high Buzzards over the Mendips. After a birdless visit to buy cheese in Cheddar we took a drive up the gorge, and then a rather long diversion home which produced unexpected Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and a fine male Stonechat. 

Another excellent trip, the highlights being the flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plover and male Merlin at Steart, Cattle and Great White Egrets, the elusive Bittern and of course the pair of Cranes.

TOTAL: 73 species