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!
Really nice visit to Ham Wall across lunchtime today, going no further than VP1. Despite that, 7 Warbler species had been recorded by the time we crossed over the old railway bridge, Reed, Cetti’s, Willow, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and, possibly the best, a Garden Warbler, one of many today, that sang right out in the open by the boardwalk out of the car park.
Waders seen included Blackwits, Ruff and Lapwing but I couldn’t find anything more unusual, apart from a single Common Sandpiper.
Whilst on the viewing platform the number of Glossy Ibis in view fluctuated between 1 and 5 and no Garganey could be found. However, on the way back to the car park, via the path along the north side of the drain I did see 3 drakes.
Buzzard and Marsh Harrier were seen from VP1 and, back in the car park, Hobby and Osprey appeared.
Our route home took us across Tealham Moor, where all likely places to stop were occupied (!), but 6 Cattle Egrets were seen from the car.
A terrific few days for anyone who’s cared to visit, inc Wheatear, Whinchat, Golden Plover, Wood Sand and Greenshank, but just this evening:
Adult Purple Heron, at last, seen by me at 2VP and by Clive over Waltons.
VP1 - Glossy Ibis (just a couple this evening but max I’ve seen is 7), 2 sp Spotred (Matt), 45 Blackwit, 40 Whimbrel by dusk, 1 Turnstone (Sean), Ruff, Garganey, LRP and Dunlin.
Bitterns and Barn Owl continue to show regularly, and Hobbies and Swifts are ‘in’; Cattle Egrets still pretty easy to find.
Tealham - the Channel Wag again (first seen by Martin I think), also White and Yellow.
Singles of Dunlin, LRP and RP.
Last day for the fab Catcott Hoopoe seems to have been 28th.
The two summer plumage Golden Plover were still on Tealham this morning, a very smart male Wheatear nearby - also, 47 Whimbrel in a plough field between Ashcott and Ham Wall.
Wood sands seem to have been replaced by 2 summer plumage golden plover…
The summer plumage spotted redshank is still hanging out with the blackwits, but one of the ruff is also very dark (but white underneath), so easily confused at a distance
Hello Martin, here is one of the Wood Sandpipers seen this morning on Tealham Moor the second was at a greater distance.
A few records that don’t seem to be on the site.
Tealham yesterday 5pm. One male Yellow Wagtail, one LRP, 2 Wood Sandpiper and a fly over Red Kite.
Ham Wall this morning. Sedge Warbler, 3 Garganey, 2 Redshank, still quite a few Blackwits and a surprise fly past by 5 Shelduck headed north west.
Haven’t caught up with the 6 Glossy Ibis myself but they are still around…
Otherwise, 2 lovely Wood Sand and an LRP were on Tealham this afternoon, and a Yellow Wag for JT.
Single Red Kites just to the west of Tealham and over Ham Wall.
4 Ruff on Ham Wall now inc a female. The males still look smart, even without their ruffs, but one has gained a white crown.
Something like 30 Blackwit.
I think there were a few Dunlin earlier in the day.
A few Garganey…
Just the long staying Ibis from 1VP this afternoon.
Over on the Shapwick side, a Yellow-browed Warbler showed well at close range for a few minutes only this morning. It was in the SW corner of the boardwalk leading from the Ashcott Corner car park before moving off into the thicket.
Glossy Ibis, Spotted Redshank, Garganey, Ruff & Black-tailed Godwit from VP1 at RSPB Ham Wall this AM. Great to see some good wader numbers on the Avalon marshes.
Checking back, I saw one YW in the same field on April 15 last year. John Ingram and I were watching it for 15 minutes yesterday. I had a surprising sight today when a Glossy Ibis flew from some maize stubble at Heathway Lane, Westhay this morning. ST435417. After circling for a while it headed west.
Nice one, Martin. Sean D and I each spent a long time on Tealham today but couldn’t come up with a Yellow Wag… Did see a few vocal Curlew though.
Brilliant day on Ham Wall, though I missed out on the best bird - this is what I’m aware of:
Ad Purple Heron seen from Avalon hide around 3.40, then in flight from 2VP at around 8 (6 heron sps on Ham Wall for Sean today!)
The 2 Glossy Ibis 1VP this evening.
Also c70 Blackwit, 4 Ruff, 1 sum plum Spotted Redshank, 2 Redshank and 3 Pintail.
3 drake Garganey from Tor View hide.
Bitterns seem more active now and are flying regularly.
1 Red Kite.
Whitethroats at 1VP and on Shapwick. Plenty of Reed and Willow Warblers.