All three Spoonbills were there yesterday evening (3rd). Sometimes when feeding in deeper channels they were briefly out of sight.

3-Jan-2018
2 Spoonbills still on Otterhampton Marsh from the Quantock View Hide and at least one Short-eared Owl over the reserve adjacent to Wall Common. late afternoon. Apology for late posting.

PLEASE, no more cheques to me - see note on “Membership Renewal in January 2019” under Forum Home / Society News & Announcements.

Good view from Quantock Hide of the 3 Spoonbills feeding. Also 4pm Short Eared Owl out hunting over the marshes at Bridgwater Bay.

The 3 Spoonbills were present this morning but quite distant far to the left of the Quantock hide that looks towards the hills. Also big numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plover from that hide.

I was lucky enough to get all 3 birds this afternoon by The Quantock hide very close and stayed for well over an hour still there when I left at around 4-30

The three juvenile Spoonbills still present today, 19/11/2018, on Otterhampton marsh and 15 Cattle Egrets around the cattle !! on Stockland marsh.

Definitely 3 Imm Spoonbills on Otterhampton today, all have black fringing on primaries & secondaries although variable quantity.  Also 4 Spot Reds and female Merlin.

From Malcolm Taylor’s pics on Facebook, looks like 2 juveniles & 1 adult at Steart yesterday.

Mike

3 immature Spoonbills on Otterhampton today, also 2 Spot Red, 450 Goldies & Merlin (m).  Lots of Cattle Egrets just N of Stockland Marshes amongst cows in the high sedge so hard to count, Fem Marsh Harrier as well here, no sign of WF Goose.

3 spoonbill reported at Steart today on Facebook.

I know one spoonbill was present on 20th Oct (mentioned on Noah’s lake post), but when was last time 2 were seen?

Mike

2OO+ Avocet & a spoonbill circling over Steart shore just before dusk. Also numerous dunlin, ringed plover, curlew & redshank.

Mike

Wader numbers were looking better on Wall Common on Saturday evening’s high tide - about 100 Dunlin & Ringed Plover, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 20 Golden Plover and a few Grey Plover.

I have also noted the absence of waders at Wall Common and on the pools north of the breach. I have checked my notes from previous years and September has shown a range of waders on the pools at high tide (except on 7th last year, when I had a no-wader high tide on the pools). Little Egrets and Black-headed Gulls are feeding there, so the pools appear healthy. On 20th this year 47 Avocets were on the river adjacent to the breach.

Adjacent to the Steart Marsh breach an adult and juvenile Spoonbills in the Parrett Estuary at midday today.  Where are all the small waders?  I’ve seen no small waders on Wall Common beach for the last 10 days and four Ringed Plovers at the breach was a highlight.