It's Hobby-o'clock again...

Tuesday 3rd May

It was an overcast and muggy afternoon, with just the off chance that the sun would ether break through, or on the other hand, it might just start raining. Our first stop was at the flooded corner of Tealham Moor – not a recognised nature reserve as such, but nice boggy (high-level stewardship) farmland bursting with colour from wildflowers dotted all over a now almost fluorescent green sward.

Graeme set up his telescope to scan over the fields, and almost immediately focused on to a Little Ringed Plover and a very smart Dunlin in full breeding plumage. Just behind the small waders was a bright yellow and olive-green Yellow Wagtail, catching insects alongside two rather dapper Pied Wagtails. Two Cattle Egrets flew in and landed close to a small group of cows, which were lazily chewing the cud; they started to do what Cattle Egrets usually do, watching out for insects that the cattle may disturb. These are the smallest and most recent of the three different egret species that make a home on the Somerset Levels. An unusual piping call was heard, which turned out to be an incoming Golden Plover in fine breeding plumage. Such was the hazy visibility we could only just about make out the main landmarks of Somerset – Brent Knoll to the west, the Mendip Hills to the north, ending with the Wells TV mast, and the iconic Glastonbury Tor in the east. We continued over Tadham Moor and saw our first Buzzard on distant post and another Yellow Wagtail.

At Westhay Moor, a National Nature Reserve run by Somerset Wildlife Trust, we were met by a most graceful Great White Egret landing amongst the reedbeds with an almost slow-motion wing beat. Walking round the reserve, we heard our first of many Cetti’s and Reed Warblers, singing all along the pathways that bordered the reedbeds. Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps sang from the willow scrub and birch trees, House Martins hawked for insects, and a Red Kite and Buzzard soared in circles together in a thermal high above our heads. At the Tower Hide, a shower passed through, though it did not seem to worry the Coots that were still busy building nests. Greylag Geese preened, and a Cetti’s Warbler sang again from somewhere deep in the reeds. We also heard the unmistakable ‘pinging’ call from a frustratingly well-hidden Bearded Tit. Then from a distance a hunting Hobby cruised by, on the lookout for mayflies that had hatched in the mild damp conditions, from time to time sticking a leg out as it flied, grabbing an insect, and eating it in the one movement only to land on the top of a dead willow directly in front of the Tower Hide giving us time to zoom in with the telescope.

Just as the excitement of having such good views of the beautiful little falcon was dying down, we could not believe our luck to see a large otter swim out right in front of us. The Tower Hide at Westhay Moor is like the gift that just keeps giving! We continued around the southern loop of the reserve where at last we got a decent, if brief, view of the elusive Cetti’s Warbler; we saw more waterfowl, Tufted Duck, Gadwall and nesting Great Crested Grebes, and possibly the same Great White Egret we had seen on arrival stalking some unsuspecting reptile in the reeds. A Common Whitethroat was the last of our sightings before we returned to Walls Farm to be joined in the evening by Stephen for a most convivial supper prepared by Kay.

Wednesday 4th May

After breakfast we headed out to Tealham Moor, on a milder and less windy morning than yesterday, promising good weather to come over the rest of our trip. As soon as we arrived we noticed five Cattle Egrets feeding with a herd of cattle in a grassy field next to the road; all in their splendid breeding plumage, complete with orange crown and plumes. Accompanied by a chorus of Skylarks, we walked the short distance along the road to the gate where we saw a pair of Lapwings (with their chicks hidden somewhere in the waterlogged meadow), a male Reed Bunting on a post, a Sedge Warbler occasionally launching itself skywards and delivering its excitable song, and a single female Wheatear in the cow parsley, A Great White Egret also flew in, while we saw a second en route to our next destination.

We then headed down the road to the RSPB’s flagship reserve at Ham Wall, where even before we had left the car park we saw a Jay and enjoyed the songs of Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler (which we had great scope views of); swiftly followed by Reed Warbler and – just by the disused railway line – a splendid Common Whitethroat singing while clinging onto the cable of a telegraph pole. This was soon followed by singing Cetti’s and Garden Warblers along the path – making eight warbler species already for the day! A Red Kite also flew overhead – still quite a notable sighting for the levels – followed by brief views of a Kingfisher for some of the group. At the viewing platform we glimpsed a Glossy Ibis, while there were also about 20 Black-tailed Godwits in a range of rather confusing plumages ranging from buff to bright orange, a splendid male Ruff, a Great Crested Grebe, an Egyptian Goose, and lots of ducks – mainly Gadwall but also several Pochard, as well as a Roe Deer hiding in the reeds. In the far distance a Raven, 2 Marsh Harriers and 2 Buzzards were soaring in a thermal, while about 20 Swifts were hawking for insects over Loxton’s Marsh. We had good flight views of four Bitterns (or perhaps the same two twice!), and a Garden Warbler hawking for insects in between bouts of delivering his skylark-like song. Back at the car park, while we were enjoying coffee and biscuits a Hobby flew overhead, followed by 7 more in the distance, and a female Sparrowhawk being mobbed by two very brave Swallows! All this proved Mrs Moss’s golden rule: “All the best birds are seen in car parks!”

We then headed south over the Polden Hills to another RSPB reserve at Greylake. The car park here had Chaffinches and House Sparrows, and a chorus of Reed Warblers; followed by a hovering Kestrel: our 6th raptor of the day by 12.15! We walked down to the hide, accompanied by more Reed and the occasional Sedge Warbler; from the hide itself we saw Great White Egret, a pair of Greylag Geese with no fewer than seven small (and very cute) goslings, a Hobby, Lapwings, several Marsh Harriers, one of which saw off a passing Buzzard, and a Snipe flushed on the way back. Then it was time to call in on our favourite pub – the King Alfred Inn at Burrow Bridge, for a hearty lunch – accompanied by a brave (or foolish?) Jackdaw that was feeding on the road just outside the window.

After lunch we had a brief cultural diversion to the monument to Alfred the Great, where we had excellent views of 2 Stock Doves and a Brown Rat beneath a bird feeder, and a number of Swallows – which are now back in force after a very late arrival. A brief stop at Stathe Bridge (over the River Parrett) produced 6 Cranes beneath the poplar trees; we also heard a Cuckoo here, though did not manage to see it. For our final location we headed south and west to another RSPB reserve, Swell Wood, where we bumped into our old friend Mike Dilger and his own birding group, and enjoyed the display of bluebells. We saw another 3 Cranes (and also heard some) and a Hobby from the viewpoint over West Sedgemoor; also getting a clear view to Brent Knoll, Burrow Mump and Crook Peak. Finally, we had a restful 20 minutes or so at the ‘inside-out hide’, enjoying the comings and goings of the nesting Grey Herons, plus great views of a Treecreeper, Goldcrest, and Wood Mouse, and more distant ones of Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker, and heard a Green Woodpecker, before heading back to Walls Farm for another splendid dinner!

Thursday 5th May

After picking Stephen up from his home we headed to our secret heronry – or should that be ‘egrettery’?!  Here we had fabulous close-up views of breeding Grey Herons – the original occupants – and two upstart newcomers: Little Egrets, sporting their wonderfully long feathered plumes (or aigrettes) and, not to be outdone, Cattle Egrets, showing off their orange headdress, pink bills and orange plumes. The noise and spectacle were quite extraordinary, especially when we noticed a pair of Cattle Egrets trying to take over an occupied Rook’s nest, much to the annoyance of the incumbent corvid! We also saw a Rabbit: our 6th mammal species of the trip – surely a record!

We then drove down to Huntspill Sluice, where we were greeted by a very high tide, and a singing Lesser Whitethroat and Common Whitethroat, Swallows, a male Linnet, Chiffchaff, and 2 Curlews. Walking along the sea wall we came across two female Wheatears, about half-a-dozen Whimbrel, one of which eventually gave good scope views; and on the other side of the Parrett, 5 Avocets and 10 Bar-tailed Godwits. There was also a male Gadwall (first of the year) in the middle of the River Parrett, heading downstream; a few Shelducks and about 100 Oystercatchers on Stert Island.

We drove through Bridgwater to Steart, a journey enlivened by the presence of quite a few pairs of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls nesting on the roofs of various new buildings – a way of avoiding predators such as foxes. At the Wildfowl and Wetlands reserve car park at Steart we could hear two energetic Sedge Warblers singing; after coffee and biscuits we walked the short distance to the Quantock Hide, just in time for the sun to appear for the first time today, en route enjoying close-up views of a handsome pair of Mute Swans with no fewer than 8 newly-hatched cygnets. We also heard Reed and Cetti’s Warblers and Reed Bunting along the path. From the hide itself we had great views of the breeding Avocets, accompanied by several small chicks and four tiny ones, presumably hatched in the past 2 hours. There were also breeding Oystercatchers and Little Ringed Plovers – a very scarce bird here in Somerset, nesting on the shingle island; a distant and then a much closer Wheatear; and several distant Black-tailed Godwits. Great Black-backed Gulls and several other Little Ringed Plovers were at the back of the lagoon; and as we left the hide we saw a Wall Brown butterfly by the path. Back at the car park, we had great views of a male Marsh Harrier flying very low towards us, before heading the short distance to the Plough Inn at Holford, on the edge of the Quantock Hills.

After an excellent lunch, we walked up the stunning Hodder’s Combe – on a sunny day, for the first time this spring! This is a delightful woodland walk, accompanied by singing Robins and Blackbirds, then several Goldcrests (one showing off his orange crest), and Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and a Willow Warbler, together with Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers. Then the first of our target birds: a female Wood Warbler which came right down and called at us; we also came across several singing males of this stunning oak woodland sprite, newly arrived from West Africa. At the bend in the stream we enjoyed great views of a family of Grey Wagtails, the male and female feeding three newly-fledged young. Soon afterwards we came across a splendid male Pied Flycatcher, while some of the group also saw a female; we also saw a Nuthatch. The sun was also bringing out the butterflies: Peacock, Speckled Wood and a Holly Blue. We then strolled back along this lovely valley and drive back to Walls Farm for our final very convivial and tasty supper.

Friday 6th May

On our final morning, with 100 species already for the trip, we headed back down to the coast, to Stephen and Graeme’s ‘three rivers’ patch. This time we approached from Highbridge Clyce at the northern end, walking alongside the River Brue to the Parrett. We were accompanied by several Whimbrels, as well as Lesser Black-backed Gulls, including a pair mating by the river. Further downstream we came across three Turnstones, one in full white-headed-plus-tortoiseshell breeding plumage, plus 1 Dunlin (also in full breeding plumage), 2 Oystercatchers and a Redshank. On the grass there were little flocks of Starlings and Jackdaws, and a Pied Wagtail with two youngsters, while Swallows and a single Sand Martin flew overhead. Along this side of the Parrett there were another 6 Whimbrels (including one bathing), while a Skylark perched on a rock and another was carrying food. Ewe had very brief views of a Common Sandpiper, and a Raven flew past. On Stert Island there were about 200 Shelduck, 80 or so Oystercatchers, and several Little Egrets; while on our walk back, we heard a singing Reed Warbler and saw 2 House Martins.

For our final stop of the tour we headed east to one of our favourite sites, the Somerset Wildlife Trust reserve at Catcott Lows – named because it is the lowest part of the (already very low!) levels. Initially the view from the hide only yielded the usual birds: Greylag Geese with young, Redshank, Lapwings and several pairs of Gadwall. But gradually others started to appear: two distant Hobbies towards Glastonbury Tor, a male Marsh Harrier which came nearer and nearer; then a Great White Egret flew in – mobbed by a Lapwing – and in turn flushed a drake Garganey, a species we had missed so far. As we prepared to board the van to head home, Stephen heard a familiar call: five Cranes then appeared right over our heads, a wonderful end to a tour where we had come close to beating our record, with 105 different species. These included no fewer than 10 different warblers, 15 waders, 7 long-legged waterbirds (herons, egrets, ibis and crane) and 6 birds-of prey.