Avalon Marshes migrants

 
Martin Sage
 
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Martin Sage
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12 December 2022 20:10
 

During the WeBS count at Shapwick this morning we recorded 3 Ruff on the ice at Meare Heath from the tower hide. Not often seen there at this time of year.

 
Mike Moxon
 
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Mike Moxon
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10 December 2022 07:37
 

Haven’t seen any reports of the male hen harrier at catcott this week (although much of the water is frozen there now), but apparently it was at greylake yesterday & later ham wall

 
Andy Mears
 
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Andy Mears
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06 December 2022 08:07
 

Andrew K’s twitter photos just reminded me - the drake Goosander was on Westhay on Sunday, no others that I could see though

 
Mike Moxon
 
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Mike Moxon
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04 December 2022 20:22
 

Apparently a small reeve can be similar length to a large dunlin, but has larger wingspan…

 
Andy Mears
 
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Andy Mears
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04 December 2022 18:58
 

That is really interesting. I reckon it’s too small for a Ruff. So what’s smaller than a Ruff but a bit like one…?! No need to answer here… Eyes peeled!

 
Mike Moxon
 
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Mike Moxon
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04 December 2022 17:42
 

Could be the same bird I saw a couple of weeks ago, as that was too short billed to be a Dunlin. I suggested it was a ruff, but didn’t get any direct size comparison, despite it flying around at the same time as the lapwings.

 
Andy Mears
 
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Andy Mears
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04 December 2022 17:00
 

Catcott
Yesterday - Whooper, GWTeal hybrid, the dull/dark Garganey and a small wader that went up during one flush, flew round and away to the west defying ID - small, too short-billed for Dunlin but possibly without the fighter-jet wing shape typical of most small waders… Sean D saw something vaguely similar at Greylake recently with a GP flock in flight.
Today - Whooper, a nice view of a Water Pipit but fewer Teal.

Greylake now has plenty of Teal.  And a Mink.

 
Andy Mears
 
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Andy Mears
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27 November 2022 17:55
 
Mike Moxon - 27 November 2022 05:24 PM

Is the whooper the one from loxtons? - arrived Friday, but I haven’t seen any recent reports from ham wall.

There were also 3 snipe to the left of Lows (car park) hide & a flight of about 20 flew across in middle of day. [Plus last Sunday a smaller wader was flying around with the lapwings - thought it might be a ruff, but not close enough to confirm]

Could easily be, Mike. It wasn’t on Loxtons yesterday while I was there.

 
Mike Moxon
 
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Mike Moxon
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27 November 2022 17:24
 

Is the whooper the one from loxtons? - arrived Friday, but I haven’t seen any recent reports from ham wall.

There were also 3 snipe to the left of Lows (car park) hide & a flight of about 20 flew across in middle of day. [Plus last Sunday a smaller wader was flying around with the lapwings - thought it might be a ruff, but not close enough to confirm]

 
Andy Mears
 
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Andy Mears
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27 November 2022 17:09
 

A fascinating weekend…

A Goshawk has been seen at Catcott and perhaps elsewhere in the last week or two - photos on a couple of Somerset wildlife web pages. Today I saw it fly low and fast across the back of the main marsh, swooping up into a Starling flock before disappearing into the tall trees directly behind the eastern hide at around 0840.

The super male Hen Harrier quartered at the back for a while at 9am, before pitching down in the sedges where it showed poorly for a while. Eventually got up, quartered a bit more and then purposefully headed for the trees behind the hide. The Gos seemed to flush and then chased the harrier across the southern edge of the reserve, both showing in the open over around 200m after I’d dashed out of the hide. The harrier headed off behind the tree line by the main hide driveway but the Gos landed in the topmost branches in the first tree and hopped around for a few seconds before it too headed away and out of view. I got the feeling the chase didn’t carry much intent…

Otherwise, the GW Teal hybrid showed well and now has a fully developed white scapular stripe and quite a good vertical flank stripe. Nice bird.

A Whopper Swan was present today and yesterday;  and also yesterday, a very dull/dark Garganey showed well in front of the hide. The much more striking Garganey is still at Meare Heath apparently, as is the American Wigeon I see. On Ham Wall yesterday, I saw the returning Pochard x Tufted on Loxtons.

Current thinking seems to be that there are also two ringtail Hen Harriers around, one being smarter than the other.

 
Andy Mears
 
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Andy Mears
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13 November 2022 19:55
 

Someone took a photo of the Teal today showing the slightest scapular white line = hybrid for sure

 
Mike Moxon
 
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Mike Moxon
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13 November 2022 18:32
 

I’ve seen a photo of the American wigeon at meare heath taken today & a garganey there

 
Andy Mears
 
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Andy Mears
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13 November 2022 18:25
 

An adult drake Green-winged Teal was at Catcott today, found around 9am sleeping with lots of other wildfowl well to the left of the main hide. It may well be a hybrid due to the well-marked cream stripes on the head, particularly along the edge of the crown. Otherwise, had no white scapular stripe but did have a short vertical white stripe at the front of the flank, which started at the shoulder. I think this is fine as the teal are currently showing a wide variety of moult states. In photos, appeared a fraction larger than the Eurasian Teal.

Also a Curlew over heading south and a few Golden Plover with the Lapwing. James P saw a Water Pipit. 40 Cattle Egret were by the Burtle Rd.

Was lucky to see 2 Otter near North Hide at Westhay late morning, a current hot spot apparently. Hardly any duck at Westhay though.

 
Andy Mears
 
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Andy Mears
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12 November 2022 19:27
 

Very disappointing visit to Ham Wall this morning - a few gunshots from the south edge of the reserve were not at all welcome. Hardly any duck but the excellent Whooper was still on Waltons.

No Garganey or American Wigeon on Shapwick despite a careful search. Best by far was a female Merlin that cruised over heading south.

All but no duck on Greylake (but lots of Stonechats).

 
Andy Mears
 
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Andy Mears
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06 November 2022 17:44
 

A Garganey still on Noah’s and the American Wigeon still on Meare Heath today. Am seeing Garganey plumage this autumn I don’t usually see in the Uk. Notably, birds with smooth pale tan flanks, and others with quite rich rufous breasts. There have been birds at Slimbridge, Chew, Steart and Shapwick in the last week or so, maybe also Westhay. Hmm.

Yesterday, a few Golden Plover at Catcott and a larger flock at Greylake. Both looking great for wildfowl as they’re becoming nice and wet. Wonder how the newly created Greylake habitat will affect how easily we can see the birds there.

Male Hen Harrier in the afternoon today, Sunday, on Catcott for Gary T.