25-Sep-2016 (morning)
Both Glossy Ibis feeding, straight out from the 1st viewing platform, also 2 GWE, at least 2 Ruff and 4 Blk-t Godwits, and 2 Bitterns walking near each other on the dead reed area in the far LH corner. On Waltons: a Kingfisher, a juv Marsh Harrier, and 2 Bitterns (both in-flight).
23-Sep-2016
Osprey reported over Ham Wall this afternoon (seen from The Avalon Hide); also both Glossy Ibis have been seen from the first VP in the past week.
3 Ruff amongst countless Snipe, a handful of Blackwits and plenty of Lapwing today on 2VP scrape. No Garganey.
All the waders, except Lapwings, appear to have deserted Ham Wall for Meare Heath. The highlights at VP2 this afternoon were two Garganey and a Bittern flypast. Also two Marsh Harriers, a juvenile & an immature male, and an Osprey from Avalon hide
Hard work at the 2VP scrape today but in 1.5 hrs managed:
1 Wood Sand
1 Garganey
1 G Ibis
...all very brief or elusive.
Easier to see were:
2 Ruff
1 Dunlin
6+ Blackwit
4+ Green Sand
1 Snipe
2 GW Egret
Thanks for the Meare Heath updates Alan and Jeff.
In answer to Andy Mears: I’ve been told that NE are hoping to start draining down Meare Heath to produce ‘the scrape’ sometime next week - Monday 22nd onward. We wait in hope!!
One Wood S’Piper (briefly)! walked off left!; 1 Green Sand; 2 Common Sands; 3 Ruff and the Two Glossy Ibis from VP2 at 1300 today. All difficult to see for the most part due to the lush vegetation
Couldn’t find any Garganey this evening, nor a Pec Sand! (one reported from Noah’s briefly this afternoon…)
Ps. NE have created superb Gadwall habitat on Meare Heath… Anyone for a drain-down? And I have nothing against Gadwall in fact.
3 Garganey on 2VP scrape today, plus 2 ibis, 1 GWEgret, the Blackwit flock and just a couple of visible Green Sand
A small! Ruff from VP2 today ,3 Greensands ,circa 70 Blk Tld. GT’Wits. 1 Snipe and a few Lapwings with only 1 Glossy Ibis seen in 3 hsr (Two were about yesterday for a couple of hours). $ Bittern flights and just one Hobby sighted. A male and a Juv Marsh Harrier and 2 Buzzards flew by. There are now a number of Teal showing (into double figures).
3-Aug-2016
In a-couple-of-hrs late morning: Marsh Harrier 2 juvs; Hobby 1; Grt W Egret 3; Glossy Ibis 2 (together), and the male Little Bittern singing briefly (not seen) at the far eastern end of the reserve (Street Heath marsh). Apparently a small flock of Bl-t Godwits seen earlier, before I arrived.
A single, regular, Green Sandpiper on road-side old peat workings at nearby Sharpham Corner.
Thank you ! GWE ringed at Ham Wall 25.5.16.
A ringed Juvenile Great White Egret was visible in front of VP2 this morning. A Red ring with the letters AAC. There were also approx. 80 Black Tailed G’Wits which spent most of the time out of sight to the left. 2 Green Sandpipers and 1 Snipe were the other waders seen. The Little Bittern was apparently still calling but I didn’t venture that far east.Then the rains came!
2VP this afternoon:
1 Garganey
6 Green Sand
1 Wigeon
The Blackwit flock (50 perhaps)
No real change in the past week, 2 Ibis, 2 Greensands, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Hobby and 1 Bittern, 4 G.White Egrets and half a dozen Little Egrets all from VP2 this morning plus a fleeting view of a Little Bittern down the Sharpham end of the reserve. There is a brood of 9 fairly large Tufted Duck on Walton which was nice to see and 4 Pochards with a female.