Two very large waders at Catcott at 1245 today, they were in fact two Common Cranes (not that common at this location!). first I’ve seen up here this year.
Both birds,  Left legs were BLACK/BLUE/ BLACK.  .  Individuals Right legs a,  RED?WHITE?YELLOW   b. BLACK?GREEN?BLACK .The Cranes flew off toward Canada Farm Lake at 1325 and appeared to drop down there.

27-Mar-2017
34 Blk-t Godwits present late afternoon; also an adult Peregrine that scattered all the ducks as it flew low over the pumping-shed and straight down the reserve. It ended up perched in a big tree then later (same bird?) was on top of a nearby elec-pylon.

Water level is now ideal for waders but today at lunchtime just 20 Black Tailed Godwits!  One pair of Pintail in among the several hundred duck still present the majority of which are Wigeon but 100+ Teal still with us.

The water level on the Lows has been dropped a couple of inches over the last week and maybe co-incidentally there were 4 Ruff; 2 Dunlin and 30+ Black Tailed G’Wits present around 1400 today. Plus a few Lapwing. Still a few hundred duck present including Wigeon, Teal, Shovelleer , Pintail , plus a couple of Gadwall and half a dozen Tufted.

Fairly quiet p.m. visit.  2 Black Tailed G’Wits and a few Snipe were the only waders seen. The one Great White egret present caught a small jack Pike in the shallow area of water directly in front of the hide. Male Sparrow Hawk flew L-R across the reserve landing on the ground near the telegraph pole giving a good view. As I was about to leave around 1530 a Peregrine passed through did a quick round up of the duck then flew and landed rear right and proceeded to have a bathe.
This morning there were 34 Little Egrets just west of Blakeway road a couple of fields Wedmore side of the Tealham Moor turning.

7-Mar-2017
No sign of the Spotted Redshank this morning from 0930 to 1200. Apart from a few Lapwings the only other wader a solitary Dunlin.

1 Spotted Redshank was present this afternoon, roosting among   the ducks for much of the time but showed well when it woke up and started feeding!

The ‘Catcott’  Ravens have rebuilt the nest they lost to storm ’ Doris ’ on the 27 Feb. this time at a lower altitude! Hopefully they they will be successful!
A pair of Peregrines were again present this afternoon but only did a quick flyover a landed on the pylons.  Duck nos. appear to be down but that may just be a temporary blip.

Arrived late this afternoon (Sat 04/03/2017) to see a Peregrine eating a good size bird. When mobbed by a Marsh Harrier it flew off to the Pylons to the left to finish off the bird

Sparrowhawk seen over the carpark

Still good numbers of Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler and a few Pintails & Lapwings. Plenty of Greylag Geese arriving late in the afternoon.

Also a few Roe Deer.

Planning a visit here next week have only been once before, didn’t know there was a car park with a hide…worth a look ??

Quiet Tues. morning with usual ducks and six Blk Wits..  A pair of Peregrines flew round occasionally in concert, lifting the duck and trying not too hard it appeared to take one. The ducks response was to form large tight flocks on the water. A nicely marked male Marsh Harrier flew over disturbed everything, but but flew on toward Chilton Moor.  At lunchtime a really sharp downpour acted as cover for the Peregrines who made another, this time successful attack, the female taking what looked to be a Teal by size , carrying it off to the far end of the reserve down onto the ground just left of the ‘stockade’  where it spent an hour consuming it all the time being watched by the smaller male who sat above on the stockade rail at no time did it attempt to interfere with the meal being consumed below. Both birds eventually flew off together south toward the Catcott Fen area.
Early afternoon saw a dozen Black Headed Gulls dropped in and with them was an adult Mediterranean Gull just developing a full black head!  Only the second Med Gull I’ve managed to see at Catcott in quite a few years!

Lunchtime visit Friday; , 45+ Black Tailed G’Wits off to the left of the hide among the Wigeon flock first for some time. Yesterday morning up til mid-day the Ravens nest on the pylon to the north of the hide (built over the last 3 weeks) was still present. Today it’s disappeared a victim of ‘Doris’ day no doubt!

A Ring tailed Hen Harrier crossed Catcott at 1345 from Canada Farm lake straight through toward Tealham Moopr . On a damp grey day!!

Juv. male Merlin briefly on the Telegraph pole in front of the car park hide this afternoon in very poor light!

A male Merlin at the rear of the reserve on the wooden stockade made three appearances in 2 hrs. but never close.