The first sign of spring - Dancing penguins?
SOMERSET BIRDWATCHING HOLIDAYS TRIP REPORT:
January 27th-29th 2022
Tour Leaders: Stephen Moss & Graeme Mitchell
Thursday 27th January
Timing was perfect as we picked up Stephen and headed out across Tealham Moor: the cloud and mist cleared to ring sunshine and a pleasant light westerly breeze, showing off the scenery and birds in a very good light!
The first birds here – as they often are – were a pair of wintering Stonechats along with a lone Meadow Pipit; followed by lots of Mute Swans, gulls, and Canada Geese on the flooded area, together with 100-plus Lapwings and a dozen or so Golden Plovers, and, unusually for this site, a drake Pintail (asleep, as they tend to be!). Stephen then spotted the rare Tundra Bean Goose which then woke up and showed itself rather well. We also saw Great White and Little Egrets, more Stonechats, very brief views of a Peregrine over Tadham Moor, a Buzzard mantling its prey in a tree, Stock Dove, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker and Redwing flew across, the Redwing giving good views as it sat at the top of a tree. On the way out, we noticed a lone Cattle Egret – completing our trio of egrets.
After that very productive hour, we arrived at RSPB Ham Wall in keen anticipation of the main event – the Starling roost! As Graeme noted, the weather was getting rather spring-like (though he is from Glasgow). We had brief views of two Lesser Redpolls, as Black-headed Gulls flew over towards their roost at Cheddar Reservoir. On the first pool on the eft there were 100 or so Lapwings and a Great White Egret, while on Walton Heath there were the usual range of ducks – Shoveler, Gadwall and Teal.
From the first viewing platform we saw more ducks including Tufted and Pochard, Wigeon, Lapwings, Snipe, and a Great Crested Grebe building a nest; while on the lake opposite there were many Coots, each closely attended by one or more Gadwalls – that these rather sweet-looking ducks actually steal the food from the Coots as they surface! There were also lots of Shovelers, group-feeding, and two pairs of Great Crested Grebes – each of which, to our delight, started courting, and then dived and rose up carrying water weed, to perform the famous ‘penguin dance’ – a real treat to see not just once, but twice!
Take your partner for the Great crested grebe penguin dance
At the Tor View Hide we saw a score of Snipe, Teal, a Pied Wagtail without a tail (a ‘wag’?!), Little Grebes in breeding plumage, and brief views of the drake Ring-necked Duck, a vagrant from North America which was diving at the end of the water – a really smart bird, like a male Tufted Duck who’s had a makeover!
We then headed down to the second viewing platform from 4.30 onwards, well in time for the Starlings’ arrival. A female Marsh Harrier was perched in a distant tree, showing her dark body and almost white head; two others patrolled the reedbed. The first Starling flock arrived at 4.47pm, and was soon followed by many others, which formed tight flocks against a bright, clear sky, and ten minutes later descended into the reeds, where after a minute or two they began chattering noisily to one another. Various ducks flew out of the reeds, while two Great White Egrets flew high to the west on their way to roost. We left the Starlings chattering at about 5.10, just as it began to get dark; our return walk was accompanied by a singing Song Thrush, as latecomers continued to come in; while a second roost of Starlings was heard on the opposite side of the path.
Friday 28th January
We headed through Bridgwater to the Steart WWT reserve, where once the mist had cleared, the sunshine promised a fine but cold day. A pair of Stonechats was in the car park, showing well; and a second pair nearby. As we walked towards the Quantock Hide, something flushed about 500 Golden Plover and flocks of Lapwings, which flew high into the sky, the plovers showing their pointed wings, short tail and shallow wingbeats which makes them look rather like a small Peregrine! Two Ravens flew off a pylon, one carrying food, and there were two Skylarks near the hide.
From the hide itself, the female/immature male Merlin was perched on the same gate as the week and two weeks before; a few minutes later, it delighted us by flying straight towards us like a bullet, diving at a Meadow Pipit, but failing to catch its intended victim! We also had lovely views of Redshanks, Dunlin and Wigeon, Teal and Shelduck, and lots more Lapwings and Golden Plovers. On the walk back, we enjoyed excellent views of Meadow Pipits.
The sun continued to shine as we headed down the M5 and east to the RSPB Swell Wood reserve at the southern end of the levels. On this lovely late winter day, we saw Great, Blue and Coal Tits in the car park, calling Nuthatches, and saw tiny Goldcrests feeding and singing right above our heads. From the viewpoint we could see several Great White and Little Egrets in the distance but unfortunately no Cranes; we then visited the open hide, where we were treated to views of Marsh and Coal Tits, Goldcrest bathing, singing Wren, Jay, Nuthatch and Treecreeper.
Marsh Tit
Just before lunch we stopped off at Stathe Bridge (over the River Parrett) were we found about 15 Cranes – some closer than others – and then seven Cranes flew in, two of which flew towards us, giving great views; meanwhile Stock Doves and Jackdaws fed on the ground.
After lunch at the wonderful King Alfred’s Inn at Burrow Bridge (next to the ‘mump’), we headed back north, stopping off at the RSPB’s Greylake Reserve to the south of the Polden Hills. Yet again, we missed out on a very rare visitor – a Baikal Teal from Siberia – but in compensation we enjoyed excellent close-up views of Wigeon and Teal bathing and preening, as well as several Common Snipe, feeding right in front of the main hide; as well as distant Marsh Harriers, flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plovers, and three Great White Egrets.
En route to Ham Wall we took a diversion past the Hawk and Owl Trust reserve at Shapwick Moor, where a Buzzard posed in a nearby field, along with several Redwings and a smart Mistle Thrush – the only one of the trip. Meanwhile the minibus group saw a Pheasant – again our only one on this tour.
We arrived at Ham Wall at 4pm, exactly one hour before sunset, though the murky weather meant we suspected that the Starlings would arrive earlier tonight. On our way down, we enjoyed good views of the usual Great White Egrets (now commonplace!) and wintering ducks, including a sleeping drake Pintail with a very yellow breast. Drizzle came and went as a family of Long-tailed Tits flew past, while Dunnock and Song Thrush joined the usual Robin chorus, hinting at the coming of spring. A Chiffchaff was seen briefly on the cut reeds at Loxton’s Marsh (along with Teal and Shoveler), and we enjoyed even closer views of a Great White Egret paddling its feet.
We reached the second viewing platform just in time, as a large flock of around 2,000 Starlings arrived bang on cue – at 4.33 pm, 15 minutes earlier than the previous, sunnier and brighter, day. They continued to arrive, with far more than yesterday – landing at the back of the marsh, so that by 5pm (officially sunset) we enjoyed a real spectacle of tens of thousands, swirling around and landing, before chatting to one another about their day! We headed back towards a glowing westerly sky, to encounter a smaller roost of Starlings on Walton Heath (by the first viewing platform), and a loud Water Rail calling from deep in the reedbed. The drive back was enlivened by brief views of a Tawny Owl (also heard hooting back at Walls’ Farm), and we enjoyed another lovely meal and convivial chat that evening.
Saturday 29th January
Our final morning dawned cloudy and much milder than yesterday, as we headed west to Stephen and Graeme’s coastal patch, the ‘three rivers’ of the Huntspill, Parrett and Brue, our visit coinciding with a very low tide, exposing the muddy banks of the River Parrett.
After brief views of a Sparrowhawk en route, we came across the largest flock of Goosanders we have ever seen on the River Huntspill – about 15, including some splendid males – were at first distant, but eventually gave better views through the scope, along with a pair of Little Grebes in the far distance, a Greenfinch singing nearby, 180 Lapwings heading south, but sadly no Kingfisher this time!
The view from the Sluice was impressive from a scenic point of view, but apart from a hovering Kestrel as we arrived, not exactly packed with birds, as at low tide they tend to spread out on the vast mudflats of Bridgwater Bay. On the far side of the Parrett we saw a male Marsh Harrier, lots of Shelducks, and eventually more waders including about 300 Avocets and up to 100 Black-tailed Godwits in the far distance, along with Lesser Black-backed and Great Black-backed Gulls, and several Curlews.
As we walked down the Parrett a Raven flew close by, and we flushed small flocks of Linnets and Skylarks – one of which sang a full spring song, the earliest we have ever heard one singing there. We also saw a Grey Plover on our side of the river, and a dozen Canada Geese. Steart Point and Island were joined, as the tide was so low.
We then drove east across the levels towards Catcott Lows, with two Kestrels on the way. The Lows gave us great views of hundreds of Wigeon and smaller numbers of Teal, Gadwall and Shoveler, along with male and female Pintail (some of which woke up and even swam and fed!) and lots of Lapwings. One of our party spotted a curious bird hiding amongst the rushes to the left of the viewing screen: a Glossy Ibis! We enjoyed obscured but very close views of this unusual bird, with its curved bill and dark plumage marked with pale spotting. Graeme then noticed a male Peregrine swooping low over the scrape, flushing some of the birds; we also saw a very distant Red Kite – bringing our raptor count to 7, just beating our ‘long-legged waterbirds’ count of 6!
On the way back across Tadham and Tealham Moors we saw a Buzzard close to the car, and then a trio of Great White and Little Egrets and Grey Heron; and no fewer than 4 Roe Deer as we headed back home, after our most successful winter trip ever – 91 species!