Got to see the Spotted Crake this evening from about 7.40, viewed from the westernmost bench by the VP2 lagoon. Walk through the nettles to the left, then look across to the broad mud patch to the right. Spent quite a while at the back of that quietly feeding in the open on a bright breezy evening. I think it’s a juv, with pale lores and throat. Scope recommended.

Also a juv and an adult Wood Sand, 5 Garganey again, a few each of Green Sand and Snipe, and 45+ Lapwing. Bit of a heron fest with lots of juv Greys, Little and Great Egrets too. 1 Hobby. Great stuff all in all.

I read that there was a Whinchat on Ham Wall today but I can’t even remember where I read it.

Great to see all the Whinchat records on the forum this week.

A Spotted Crake has been seen on Ham Wall 2VP lagoon today and yesterday. A great reward for one of the hardest working guys down there and a species/place combo we’ve predicted for a few years now.

Obviously, it’s been seen from the grass footpath and viewing slots on the north side of the canal and not from the platform itself…!

An adult Osprey perched on the largest dead-tree-post on Noah’s at 10am today was a nice surprise. It only stayed a couple of mins then flew off east.

Earlier, a Greenshank flew over the NE car park towards Shapwick and Sean saw it later too.

HW 2VP
This am for Sean, 1 Wood Sand, 4 Green, 10 Blackwit, 5 Garganey.
This evening for me, the Wood Sand and a couple of Greens, 1 or 2 Garganey, 1 moulting male Ruff, a few Snipe and a dozen Lapwing, nice views of a Water Rail and a very tame Roe Deer buck. A/the drake Wigeon was back.

A brief visit to the Levels this morning:
Catcott Lows produced 37 Cattle Egrets inc 2 juveniles (8.35am). 5 Mallards 2 Mute Swans and a Carrion Crow seen from the West Hide.
A walk along Corners Drove produced 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and and a family of Wrens. ST408450 (9.45am).

Ham Wall 2VP this evening
3 juv Garganey and what I presume to have been 2 adults
1 Wood Sand
2 or 3 Green Sand
2 or 3 Snipe
A few Lapwing
Maybe 25 Teal

4 Garganey together this evening on Ham Wall, 2VP, pretty sure all juvs.  Also a Green Sand, which bodes well.

A Garganey again, 2VP this evening, this time an adult type, probably a drake

1 Garganey again on Ham Wall today, 2VP, probably a juv

130+ Cattle Egret on Canada Farm Lake this evening with birds arriving variously from the west, north and east.

A Red Kite was just west of Wells.

Water disappearing fast at Catcott. Still, a couple of Snipe and a juv Yellow Wag on show this evening. Plenty of C Egrets flying around the area. On the Burtle rd excavations, a couple of Green Sand and another C Egret.

Was humming on Shapwick yesterday evening (cos of all the mozzies)  Otherwise, a nice egret roost on the usual island on Noah’s, about 65 birds and a mix of the 3 species.  Also about 250 Jackdaw roosting on the island.  3 Common Sands were struggling to find a perch they liked.  Hmm.  Barn Owls v active.

A female-type Garganey on Ham Wall 2VP lagoon this evening

Pair of mutes with 5 cygnets, plus single heron, little & cattle egrets on the pools by Godwin’s (little grebe on the deeper one opposite them)

3 pics of garganey taken today added to previous link

Green sandpiper & garganey still at catcott, along with the 3 lapwing chicks, plus 9 red arrows just headed past SW. Yellow wagtail reappeared afterwards & the 4 young coot & 4 gadwall ducklings (plus 2 other unassigned - that are now following the mallard pair)