Meare Heath Scrape
My video of the Meare Heath Pectoral Sandpiper is on Youtube, should you wish to view it click on the link below and set the quality to HD 720P.
By-the-way, I did think its bill was noticeably a bit longer than many a standard one I’ve seen.
Waders all as reported below this afternoon, but still no blackwits. Red kite over Noah’s - amazingly a Somerset first for me. Earlier, around 2 pm, a definite kite sp appeared closely, but briefly, in front of MH hide, but didn’t notice any colouring on this one or a pronounced tail fork. Possibly the same bird as seen by us and others from Noah’s later or maybe a different one or even a black kite. Anyone else see it?
Having seen the photos, there must be a good chance this is the Steart bird that Julian et al discussed on here the other day (or did they overlap on dates?). It does look unusual with that clear buff central breast area but apart from that, I think we have a clear Pec Sand. The flank ‘spurs’ are classic Pec for example. Any other thoughts?
Andy
21-Sep-2016 mid-day
Pectoral Sandpiper showing very well on near grassy island, with the 3 juv Little Stints, also 2 Greenshank, 8 Ruff and 2 Green Sandpipers, plus other waders as per Martin, but strange not to see any Blk-t Godwits.
Same mixture of waders present this morning. Pectoral Sand, Green Sand, 3 Little Stint, 3 Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Greenshank and Ruff. Also a late Sedge Warbler seen.
A Pectoral Sand Piper was present on the scrape this afternoon (pointed out to me by an itinerant postman who usually operates in the Steart area and two wandering birders from Moorland). If it was there earlier I had failed to see it! Apart from that bird the only addition from yesterday’s post was another Ringed Plover bringing the total up to three and the Garganey was also present. Plus a Leucistic Shoveller that’s worth having a look at just look for a large pale duck!
3 Little Stint on the “scrape” this Mon morning in the drizzle. plus 2 Ringed plover; 3 Dunlin; 2 Greenshank; 1 Green S’Piper; 4 Ruff ; 1 very lethargic Blk Tld. G’wit! and many Snipe. Half a dozen loafing Wigeon and 20 Teal, in with the usual complement of resident type duck.
One Little Stint and 2 Ringed Plover were new arrivals this morning. Still 2 Green Sand, 2 Greenshank and a number of Ruff. Blackwits, Snipe and assorted Duck species present.
Qn the scape this morning (fri.) 16 Wigeon 1 Garganey (juv); 5 Ruff; 2 Greenshank; 2 Green Sands; 12 Blk Wits; 40+ Snipe (all out feeding} more in the veg; 12 Little Egrets; 3 Great White Egrets; Lots of Gadwall, Teal with a few Shoveller and Mallard.
14-Sep-2016
Less this morning: 3 Greenshank, 7 Ruff, 2 Green Sandpipers, 15 Blk-t Godwits, 2 Grt W Egrets and a single flying Bittern.
Informed that the 2 Glossy Ibis were in front of VP1 at Ham Wall.
On the scrape this morning (Mon.): 220 Blk. Tld G’Wits ; 3 Greenshank ; 2 Green Sands ; 7 Ruff; 4 Snipe ; 50 Lapwing; 2 Glossy Ibis. 1 Garganey(juv?); lots of Gadweall and Teal with a few Mallard and today’s highlight 15 flyby Wigeon, first of the winter duck arriving ? half a dozen Little egrets and a couple of G.W. egrets A single Hobby flew over at 1400 and put up the Lapwing but nothing else bothered to move!
Unfortunately no Osprey at Noahs today between 12 and 2pm when I was there. Kingfisher was teasing under the hide, flying back and forth but landing just out of eyeshot!
The Glossy Ibis was on the scrape, along with a couple of Great White Egrets, 2 Greenshank, up to 10 Ruff and plenty of Black Tailed Godwit and Lapwing.
Pics on my blog
http://carlbovisnaturephotography.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/glossy-ibis-ruff-greenshank-hobby.html
Seven SOS members braved the drizzle this morning and saw a good selection of waders, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Greenshank, Lapwing. Snipe, Knot and singles of Green & Common Sandpiper, and Great & Little Egrets on the Meare Heath scrape. On Noahs, two bittern were seen, one perched up on the reeds, a distant Marsh Harrier, one Glossy Ibis flying which then went to the scrape for a short while before flying off again and as we walked back to the car park the Osprey was seen flying to the north of the scrape, having been missing from it’s usual Noahs Lake perch.
9-Sep-2016 mid-afternoon
I just missed the large flock of Blk-t Godwits (including a few Knot) that flew off when a tractor & mower came along to give the intervening canal bank vegetation a much wanted trim! But the 2 Glossy Ibis remained, although not keeping much together, plus 3 Greenshank and 9 Ruff.
Be Warned: sometime during our visit between 14:30 and 16:30 a car parked in the NE Ashcott Corner Car Park had its rear side-window smashed.
Similar birds to yesterday but minus the Glossy Ibis, plus 1 Knot and 7 Great White Egret. Osprey at Noahs with freshly caught fish. Looking good for Saturdays SOS walk ( see events for details)