Avalon Marshes migrants
Not sure when it started - a few days ago perhaps - but the flooded fields along the south edge of Westhay NNR are fab at the mo with between 300 and 400 egrets using them, and maybe 1000 Black-headed Gulls. The egrets are mainly Cattle but with plenty of Littles and Greats around too.
2 Med Gulls were also there today, a 1stw and an adult wp, and a juv Blackwit was with the small Lapwing flock.
A Red Kite was over the Avalon Marshes centre and at least 6 Stonechat were on Shapwick.
Around the levels today on October 1. Best bird was at 08.00, a Black Tern to the south of the Ham Wall railway bridge. Later I saw a flock of small birds including several Chiff Chaffs and Willow Warblers. Then as I left in light rain, a distant flock of Hirundines that appeared to be mostly House Martins. Crossing Tealham late morning I saw a Kingfisher and 4 Skylarks but little else while an afternoon visit to Cheddar res. produced 15 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Common Sandpipers, some Wigeon and Pintail and a really big influx of Teal. At Westhay Moor, a lot of Cattle Egrets and GW Egrets were favouring waterlogged fields and ignoring any with cattle in! As I drove back towards Westhay I saw at least 10 Swallows near the southern end of London Drove.
A few notes on today’s female Baikal Teal at Catcott. Can no-one spot a ring on it please - thank you!
First seen at 12.20 with bins when a small white spot at the bill base was glaringly obvious even at 100m. Couldn’t possibly be a genuine plumage feature I thought, but it was.
Very smart dark scaps with neat, broad buff edges, somewhat reminiscent of drake plumage. Also large rounded upper flank feathers. Face pattern dead ringer for Colling Guide illustration. I think all these are very good features for adult female.
Showed well all afternoon on and off as far as I know.
What may well prove to be Britain’s first accepted female was in Notts/Yorks for a week in Jan23. I wonder if it might even be this bird.
Also the RND pair 200m east of the Ham Wall railway bridge and the other drake was seen at Decoy. 9 or 10 Scaup seen on Long Drove too, and the female Goldeneye at Westhay. The 3 Ibis were still at the south end of Lewis’s Drove but now wading in floods and it’s all looking a bit special round there with large numbers of egrets, Lapwing and BHGs in the sun today.
Bit wet today so confined to base. Meant to post this before now - Rob C took a fab shot of the female BT in flight showing pretty clearly that it was fully-winged and unringed:
More than 40 Wigeon on Meare Heath this morning but none on Noah’s. First signs of significant winter migration here. Also Mallard , Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal, many returning to breeding plumage. Three Marsh Harriers seen from tower hide. Male, ad female and juvenile all separately.
Adult female Garganey on the Tealham Moor Drove flood again today
There was an adult female Garganey on the Tealham Moor Drove flood today with Teal and other duck.
The Wood Sand is still at Westhay along with 1 Green and 1 Common Sand.
In the Decoy hide log book there’s a note from yesterday of a ‘juvenile White tailed Eagle’ alongside a short list of entirely believable other species. No elaboration, no jokes, etc. I wonder.
13-Sep-2024
The drained, in work - idle diggers present - roadside fishing lake just east of Westhay Moor car park: late morning, 1 juv Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers and 3 Snipe. No sign of this early morning’s Little Stint reported on Birdguides, but all very distant and dreadful looking into the bright sunlight!
Terrific evening even if cold until the wind dropped.
Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal and Mallard all present on Tealham - had a wintery feel. Plenty of Ct Egrets all over the place, and at Catcott.
Kingfishers seem to like the ‘new’ fishing stick in front of the main Catcott hide. 2 together this evening in the sun, just stunning. Also 3 Whinchat playing hide and seek a bit further back.
On the drained fishing lake by the road just east of Westhay NR car park: 1 juv Little Stint, 1 juv Wood Sand, 1 Common Sand, 2 Green Sand, 5 Snipe, Gt and Lt Egrets, and 1 Grey Wag. Build it and they will come…
15-Aug-2024
No sign of any waders this morning on the flash-flood remnant along Tealham Moor Drove, just a few Mallards and a lone Blk-hd Gull. A few Swallows & House Martins zipping back & forth and a small flock of c.20 Linnets.
At Catcott Lows: good views of a lone feeeding large Water Rail black chick, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Kestrels, 2 Buzzards and a single Lapwing.
A flock of c.30 House Sparrows feeding in the road (near houses) that goes from Burtle towards Catcott Lows.
Another Wood Sand this evening in the same place (a juv), and 2 Greens
Wood sandpiper still present to 17.40. Thanks Jeff for the call. Also a family of Pied Wagtails, one adult, 2 juveniles that fooled me for a while as I could only see heads popping up.
Wood sandpiper today from Tealham Moor Drove.
Quick summary of Purple Herons this spring, using all the info of which I’m aware:
A few sightings of possibles/probables were made on Ham Wall in the week or two leading up to 29th April.
Then a definite was reported on HW with no confirmed age on 29th.
Then I saw a clear 1st summer at Decoy on 4th May.
Then one was reported flying from Shapwick to HW on 15th with no confirmed age.
Then a nice adult was photographed on Westhay just a couple of days ago.
And I saw an adult over HW yesterday, although I couldn’t say how bright an individual it was.
I take from this that we’ve definitely had 2 and there may even be 3.
8 ringed plovers on the flashes at Tealham Moor Drove this afternoon in heavy rain. Wellingtons useful. Unfortunately mine are back in the Cotswolds!