Still good numbers of birds on the scrape this morning including the 2 male Wigeon but no sign of the Garganey or Avocets. Three half grown Lapwing chicks were feeding close to the reeds at the back of the scrape and there were at least 10 adult Lapwing and up to 30 Blackwits among the usual ducks. Adult and juvenile Grey Heron also noted.

10-June-2018
The 2 Avocets flew off high to the East at about 11:45 having been scared by a low-flying Bittern.
My first ever sighting of this wader on the scrape - a photo by clicking on this link https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DfVmy9CX0AIlSJ7.jpg

Also 3 Scarce Chasers (2m & 1f) looking east along the South Drain from the Meare Heath bridge, and six lots of fresh Otter spraints on trails to the water thro’ the long grass along the main path here.

A real surprise late morning today when 2 Avocet were on the scrape. I was watching them with Jeff and Kay when they circled up and flew off, only to return 10 mins later and were still present when I left at 11:45am. Also 12 BT Godwits, 2 Beardies our the back of the hide, fly past Bittern and Water rail along the reeds at the back of the scrape. All other usual suspects around the hide/scrape and a very early Brown Hawker along the path by the boardwalk turn off.

I also saw the male Garganey yesterday (Thursday) morning along with an impressive list of duck species on the scrape:
Wigeon 2 male
Shoveler 8+
Pochard 4
Tufted Duck 4
Teal 5
Gadwall 50+
Mallard 30+

7-May-2018
Drake Garganey on the Scape yesterday (reported as still present today) also 16 Blk-t Godwits, a single Hobby and 2 Gt White Egrets.

Single Little Ringed Plover on the Scrape mid day (Tues.) with 22 Black Tld. G’Wits.  Single Hobby earlier over VP2 Ham Wall where there were also 4 Cuckoos, very vocal and flying in two’s.

25 Blk. Tld. Godwits dropped into the scrape around 1130 Fri morning, at that time there were just 4 Ringed Plover there, on what was a very brief visit.

Eight Ringed Plover and three Dunlin on the scrape at 09.15 this morning, but all had gone when I returned at 10.45. Also a Common tern on Noah’s Lake.

8 Ringed Plover and 1Dunlin on the scape early afternoon.  A Pochard with about half a dozen young ducklings were nearby on the South Drain.

18-May-2018
My first visit since returning from a holiday in Scotland: lone Black-t Godwit, 10 Ringed Plover dropped in for a short while late morning then flew east, large (male?) Bittern in long aerial pursuit of smaller (female?), 2 calling Cuckoos, lone Hobby, 2 fem Marsh Harriers, and a Red Kite that flew slowly east at 10:10 hrs.

No sign of the Purple Heron from Noah’s Hide up to 11:40 hrs.

Modest improvement this morning with 1 Greenshank (my first in the county this year), 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed and 10 Blackwit. A lot of hirundines of all 3 species and Swifts over Noah’s.

No extra water let in today and no more Waders, less in fact just one little Ringed Plover and 11 Blk Tld. G’wits.  A Chiloe Wigeon drake dropped in for a few minutes then left towards Ham Wall!, possibly it’s the bird that was down on Catcott Lows at the beginning of February, still hanging around. A Red Kite appeared mid afternoon’  fairly low heading East. over towards Ham Wall. 20+ Hobbies were counted (not by me!) over 70 Acres.

First Wader to arrive on the scrape late morning was a Common Sand Piper followed by two Little Ringed Plovers then in the early afternoon 10 Black Tailed Godwits appeared. The water is slowly rising , it will be stopped late afternoon but more will be let in tomorrow (Thursday).

A board was lifted on the Scrape sluice mid day today to allow some water in,  so hopefully a moderate water level will be achieved sometime tomorrow, which in turn might encourage passing waders to call in and there should be enough to float a few duck. As Martin noted no waders up to 1530 today apart from a couple of Lapwing.Again post midday, when the sun came out, lots of Hobbies put in an appearance.

Very quiet on the scrape again today apart from 2 Lapwings but I did see one remaining Wigeon on Noah’s Lake. A far cry from 5000+ back in January.

The scrape has been pumped down! Rather too enthusiastically I fear. No Sand Grouse yet but a flock of around 70 Black tailed God wits put in a flyby early afternoon . Otherwise two passing Red Kites and Hobbies into double figures plus many Buzzards made up the raptors seen.