Somerset Birding Forum

Warblers at Shapwick

2026-04-13T11:40:33+00:00

The main track was alive this morning with the sounds of willow warblers, chiffchaffs, blackcap and reed warblers. No garden warblers or whitethroat yet but they surely won’t be long.
Re the enquiry about grasshopper warblers I was convinced I heard one this morning near the tower hide but I couldn’t be sure. Probably a bit early.

Grasshopper warblers - Somerset and surrounding areas

2026-04-12T19:03:07+00:00

Hello I have been trying to research Grasshopper warblers in my area (North Somerset). They are being seen migrating but I wanted to know if they breed in the Avon area? Somerset seems absent in information I have accessed online.

Thanks in advance to anyone replying.

Privately led birding trip to Georgia

2026-02-11T17:55:04+00:00

Not sure if this is the place to post this message but anyway. From the 30th May until 10th June myself alongside another local birder are going on a privately led trip to Georgia. The leader is Alex Rukhai who runs Birding Caucasus. The party size is 4 including Alex. We are looking for a 4th person to make up the party.
If anyone is interested please email me at richeagles at hotmail dot co dot uk. I will then send a copy of the itinerary.

Reserve access

2025-10-27T20:37:03+00:00

Avalon hide at ham wall is shut due to bird flu (as it is used by barn owl)
Road onto tealham moor from west is now closed with same blocks they used when trees damaged the adjacent section
Greylake has had some of reeds cut back and staff were out preparing the site for reflooding next week

New Kit

2025-09-30T15:36:47+00:00

I’m looking to upgrade my binoculars and wondered whether anyone could recommend any reputable local or out of area retailers who have a good selection to try out. There are quite a few online but any personal recommendations would be helpful. Thanks for any suggestions.

Birds of the World magazines

2025-07-14T20:44:13+00:00

Ben Hartshorn has contacted me, looking for a home for a 9 volume collection of ‘Birds of the World’ magazine. There is no date, but I believe these were published several decades ago. Free to anyone who can pick them up from Crewkerne. Contact Ben at benhartshorn at yahoo dot co dot uk

Baikal Teal - Huge Flocks.

2025-01-28T15:47:11+00:00

From a BBC News article:

Investigators say they have found evidence of a bird strike on a passenger plane that crashed in South Korea in December, killing 179 people.
The feathers and blood stains on both engines of the Jeju Air plane were from the Baikal teal, a type of migratory duck that flies in large flocks, according to a preliminary investigation report published this week.

Apparently flock size can reach 1,000,000 birds in the areas close to the airport. Quite incredible and no wonder that the pilots were unable to land successfully if they flew into such a flock.

Somerset Bird Reports

2024-09-26T12:21:53+00:00

I have 15 years of Bird Reports between 2008 and 2022.
Would a young birder or anyone else like them.?
I live in Somerton
Em wyvernok at yahoo dot co dot uk

Burnham Book Festival

2024-05-05T10:09:23+00:00

Stephen Moss will be at the Burnham Book Festival on Friday May 17th presenting his book ‘Britains Favourite Birds’. Last year, his event was sold out, our members are offered a discount of 20%.

Voucher code: BBF20 will get you the discount (it will actually get you 20% off all our events at this year’s festival).

https://www.theprincesstheatre.co.uk/events/britains-favourite-birds-stephen-moss/

Past copies of Somerset Birds

2024-04-21T14:14:36+00:00

The following old Somerset Birds reports for 1955, 56,57,60,61,62,66,76,77,78,79,80 have become available from a relative of one of our former members who would like to pass them on to someone rather than recycle them. If anyone is interested please contact me on brian dot gibbs at somersetbirding dot org dot uk within the next two weeks and I’ll give you the details, postage will have to be paid unless they can be collected from the Bristol area