One Yellow Wagtail male on the usual flooded field at Tealham Moor this morning. One Swallow was the only other migrant but a single Curlew 3 Lapwing, several Reed Buntings and a Stonechat also seen.
Earlier yesterday, late morning, there were 32 Black-tailed Godwits as well, from VP1.
Ham Wall wadery things this evening:
1 G Ibis
3 Ruff
2 Redshank
2 Curlew briefly
A few Snipe and Lapwing too of course
2 Glossy Ibis were on Ham Wall 1VP lagoon early morning today, the long stayer and another smaller, slightly paler individual with a slightly shorter bill, so presumably male and female. The male harried the female however and an hour later, she was gone.
Also 5 drake and 2 duck Garganey from Tor View hide and 3 drakes on 1VP but there may have been overlap. The 2 male Ruff still and 2 Redshank. The Tufted/Pochard hybrid was getting about and I saw it near the railway bridge, from Tor View and south of 2VP.
On Noah’s early morning, a small egret roost in the NE corner comprising a handful each of GWE and LE, and also a C Egret roost in large trees on the south side with a few loafing on low snags in the lake, total c20.
Gentle mooch this am and evening, still cold:
Westhay fields, 50 Linnet, 3 Egy Geese, plenty of C Egret
Catcott, 2 Blackwit, 2 Redshank, three egret sp in same field of view
Decoy, 1 Red Kite
Joint effort on Ham Wall this evening, at 1VP, 2VP and Tor View hide, with Matt Doyle and Sam Thompson gave a potential 9 Garganey, though we couldn’t quite nail that total. If it was 9, then it was 6 drakes and 3 duck. Also the 2 Ruff still, a few Sand Martin and at least one Swallow.
2nd April, early morning
Ham Wall – Glossy Ibis, singing Sibe Chaff and Willow Warbler near 1VP, 2 drake Garganey, 2 Redshank, 2 large Ruff (but no sign of male summer plumage), several Pintail, young Peregrine over.
Catcott – 2 Redshank.
Tealham – 1 Curlew that soon flew off east.
5th April, evening
Ham Wall – 2 drake Garganey, Barn Owl, Pintail still.
Catcott – Glossy Ibis, 3 Redshank, a few Snipe.
Catcott has also recently held 3 blackwits, a male ruff, a dunlin & a circling crane.
Also, apologies for late post.
Willow Warbler singing, in low vegetation, between VP1 and VP2, on Monday (28Mar22).
About five Bramblings along same stretch, flitting among the higher branches.
Glossy Ibis, Black-tailed Godwit, and three male Garganey from VP1. No Sand Martins inspecting the new nest structure there,... yet.
Apologies for the late posting. Sunday afternoon 27th March Ham Wall. 1 Glossy Ibis; 2 drake Garganey 1VP: Total of 8 Brambling at 3 locations; 5 or 6 Sand Martins briefly over; and a gorgeous sunny srping day!
Doubt I’ll make a habit of this but a nice set of largely second hand reports:
This evening: 14 Sand Martin and 1 Swallow over Meare Heath.
Glossy Ibis came into Noah’s from Catcott direction while one was still on Ham Wall.
Also on Ham Wall, 25 Brambling, Barn Owl, 4 drake Garganey, male Hen Harrier, 40 C Egret.
Catcott had 2 LRP over and a smart Water Pipit today.
Otter from 2VP yesterday evening and this evening.
6 Blackwit 1VP yesterday.
Plenty of Blackcaps and Chiff Chaffs singing in Ham Wall this morning but the only other spring migrants seen were 2 drake Garganey from VP1. Also Glossy Ibis, Black tailed Godwits, Snipe, GW Egrets, 2 Bitterns and Marsh Harriers.
Am a bit behind the times so apologies if some of this is old hat… It’s a bit random too:
A friend saw an Osprey over Street on 18th.
Egy Geese: 2 in fields just north of Winrow Nurseries, Westhay this evening, one over Noah’s this am and 6 at Sharpham on 20th.
1 or 2 Red Kite over Ham Wall on 20th, and the drake Garganey from 1VP. This am, drake Garganey at each of Catcott, Meare Heath and Ham Wall (from railway bridge). Glossy Ibis still from 1VP this am and a dozen Brambling close by.
Goosander pair on Westhay NNR this evening and 120 C Egret 1km east of the reserve.
The Glossy Ibis still at Catcott in super habitat - wonder how long through the spring that will last. A few Greylag flew across the back with A Another, which proved to be the Tundra Bean Goose once I’d walked up to the bridge to check it out. Still lots of duck here.
Some Bramblings present again today and I saw a male Goldeneye and a pair of Goosander on London Drove.