Avalon Marshes migrants
11-Dec-2023
No sign of any Scaup on the large pit at Long Drove, Sharpham just after mid-day, just a small flock of c.15 Pochard and some very distant Tufties feeding close-in to the reed edge. The 6 Barnacle Geese still present on the large grass fields, but distant and tucked well down in a dip in the ground with c 20 Greylags - easily overlooked from Sharpham Lane.
5 Scaup confirmed today by Sean D at LD, who also saw female RNDs on Noah’s and Walton’s
Great to see that 2 ibis have been seen yesterday and today at Westhay. Wonder if there is a third, could be the Ham Wall bird seen a few times recently I guess, inc yesterday.
The drake Ring-necked Duck was on the 2nd pool (south of rd) east of the car park today and he’s starting to look smarter around the bill. I couldn’t see the female anywhere. A/the female Goldeneye was even further east (north of rd). 4 Egy Geese close by.
I think there were a few Scaup on Long Drove today, perhaps 4 or 5. Too windy and the light too poor to be sure (unexpected sun!)
Lots of birds at Greylake today inc plenty of Golden Plover visible from the hide and a few Dunlin. 2 Crane. All a bit distant and also in poor light though.
9-Dec-2023
The 6 Barnacle Geese still present at the same Sharpham locn this afternoon, and also 2 Egyptian Geese that were feeding close to the road.
9-Dec-2023
The six Barnacle Geese still present this morning at Sharpham, feeding distantly with Greylags on the large grassy fields next to Woodlands Agriculture. Note: due to severe road flooding only accessible by car from Walton along Whitely Road becomes Sharpham Lane. Sharpham Lane from the other direction impassable in my car at the sharp-bends next to the fishing lake. Drove in until it reached door-sill level then had to reverse out.
Ah - actually I did forget to mention another 4 on Tadham Moor later, but seriously I think these are the “Westhay contingent”, mostly roosting at Oaks Drove and thereabouts. Be interesting to know if the Noahs Roost numbers have increased in the last few days.
You’re missing some then, as 660 were counted going to roost last month!
Think the Cattle Egrets have returned from wherever they have been, I counted 380 around Westhay area this afternoon, 230 North Chine Drove and Blakeway and another 150 on Godney Moor, Yeaps and Tilleys Drove. A flock in one field at Tilleys Drove were accompanied by 22 Common Gulls and I flushed a Green Sandpiper from the roadside ditch at the same place.
Fieldfares everywhere, two particularly large flocks at River Bridge Drove and Butt Lake Rd/Green Drove, spent some time looking through these but they were Waxwingless.
Fun and games at Westhay this afternoon:
I think the RND pair were on the usual lake but they were asleep so I’m not 100% sure.
3m and 5f Goosander gave terrific views from London Drove but flew off late afternoon - off to Cheddar perhaps.
125 C Egret had come in to roost by dark and with 113 at Noah’s per Sean D, numbers seem to be right down, presumably due to cold weather movement (and a Med Gull for Sean too at Noah’s plus 1f RND at Decoy).
I seemed to be right in the middle of a Fieldfare roost while I watched the egret roost.
A too-brief Chiffchaff may well have been Sibe.
And most odd of all, a Glossy Ibis flew over, north to south and out of sight at 1537, another did the same at 1539 and a 3rd at 1543 but that landed with the egrets and remained til dusk - 1 bird or 3, I really don’t know.
(2m and 2f Scaup at Cheddar this am by the way)
3-Dec-2023
Shapwick Heath (West): At 16:30 hrs 2 Woodcock flew across the South Drain at tree-top height, as viewed looking west along the drain from the Shapwick roadbridge.
Duck and drake RND on the usual Westhay pool this morning, and just around the corner, a female Merlin perched up in an arable field south of the reserve. All in pretty thick fog, which looked incredible from up on the Mendips.
Water Pipit seen today on HW I hear.
Water pipit at Ham Wall on Tuesday posted on UK Bird ID Facebook page by Pat Glenville:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1110506089937963&set=pcb.2605231622958616
Link if above doesn’t work for you:
https://scontent.flhr1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/406589802_1110506229937949_492350293647667863_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c42490&_nc_ohc=26-EK0wTU2QAX_tCWYi&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr1-2.fna&oh=00_AfAs3H8Yvrc3sYHAmO5xnB_ZpVxReV6Ckcbjgz8jdWwR_Q&oe=656ED21A
Female Goldeneye on lake with female RND on Wednesday morning.
And to add to Mike’s female RND at Westhay, a male was on the next lake along (east) on the south side of the road this morning. Both lakes held small Tufted Duck flocks. The drake appeared to be the poorly-marked bird already seen on Decoy and Noah’s this autumn. This lake was drained all summer, I think in preparation to become a fishing lake, but only attracted egrets, herons, a few Green Sand a couple of Redshank during my regular checks. Nice to see a good bird there today.
The imm/female Scaup was still on Waltons at Ham Wall; and the Glossy Ibis flew over Noah’s this afternoon with c40 C Egret, heading in the direction of Westhay NNR.