Clear difference between morning and afternoon/evening at Catcott. Yesterday between 7.30 and 8,30 I had a brief sight of a Green Sand and then saw another near Godwins peat works (my first for this species of 2022). Also at Catcott, a Barn Owl at the back of the reserve, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Sand Martins, big numbers of Swifts, just one Blackwit plus usuals. This morning I was among several visitors who saw a Common Crane that arrived from the east, Linnets, a female Garganey, the usual single male Shoveler. Lapwings still supervising 3 growing young, a very pale Sedge Warbler doing song flights and usual residents. Returning past Godwins, no waders, but 3 Egyptian geese were on the bund between 2 recently dug lakes.

No sign of Green Sands in either place this morning but 41 Blackwit at Catcott Lows and a Cuckoo still calling there. I might have another look later in the day.

1 Green Sand at Catcott this evening and a surprise 4 on the roadside peat excavations between Burtle and Westhay.
On Shapwick, a Hobby spectacularly chasing a Sand Martin, but didn’t manage to catch it.

Apologies.

This is my (public) group, so anybody should be able to view it. First 2 are of drake 10 days apart, 3rd a single bird 2 weeks later & rest show two birds after another week & a half:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/305832500995370/permalink/446460993599186/

I’ve got pics of two brown birds together, will add link tomorrow. But only saw one a couple of days before (usual male was getting very dowdy last time I saw him - well towards eclipse - week or so before the female reappeared).

We’re on Garganey, Martin.

Incidentally, it wasn’t too long ago that I saw a dull drake, a bright drake and a female there, so multiple birds could easily be around now;  and there are nice flight shots of one from a few days ago on Twitter (AK). Big round flank feathers and lots of wing moult - all very interesting.

I have not yet managed to see the bird but would only ask whether a juvenile fledged in the arctic taiga could be back in Somerset in late June? Have there been previous records of this?

I’m pretty confident, Mike, though I accept there’s an element of educated guesswork involved. Note that it showed beautifully, on the mud and water’s edge directly opposite the hide.

Overall, it’s a pristine bird with every feather edge clear cut and appearing new. This would seem unlikely for an adult in June.
There’s a smooth ‘smokiness’ to the plumage, most notably around the neck. Again, I’d expect an adult to show coarser markings.
Collins shows two things if you look at the plates really carefully:
1. more pointed flank feathers on the juv than the adult female (shades of Baikal Teal here)
2. small internal markings on the adult female dark scaps (plain for the juv)
Both these juv features were present on the bird.

I’d welcome more input on this as it gets scant coverage in the popular birding lit (not sure the moderators would welcome it though!)

Definitely a juvenile?

No Wood Sand or Ibis in 30 mins at Catcott this evening. A Hobby, 1 juv Garganey and 2 ad Blackwit best.

A Wood Sand at Catcott this evening for its 4th day

Not just migrants but my monthly list for May so far is 102 species without travelling far from Westhay. Some friends staying in our holiday cottage had the same number although slightly different species. Not bad for 6 days in the local area. I finished off today with Black Headed Gull (only one seen) and Osprey in Ham Wall and Oystercatcher and Curlew at Huntspill. Also plenty of Whimbrel and 4 Wheatear there.

The male yellow & channel having a few tussles last couple of evenings, as now a standard female yellow present, plus the pale bird, which seems to have a bluish tinge to its crown (is it a female channel or channel / yellow back cross?). Also a 2nd male yellow keeping well out of the way this evening. No waders, bar the lapwings.

Channel & yellow wagtails are still at tealham, along with a male wheatear, dunlin, great egret & lapwing with extra legs!