WeBS on Saturday at Canada farm and today at Shapwick Heath. The newly built Canada Farm hide is now open. One Bittern there and 2 at Noah’s lake today. 7 Bearded tits near Meare Heath bridge, 4 Marsh Harriers seen, 352 Wigeon, 141 Mute Swans, almost all on Noahs, 103 Gadwall, 55 Shoveler (Decoy lake) 12 Great Crested Grebes including a noisy juvenile at Decoy, 2 Little Grebes, 6 Great White Egret and 8 Snipe were all notable counts.

A Garganey on Ham Wall 2VP was nice this am, plus c100 Teal.
Good numbers of Wigeon on Shapwick.
M&F Stonechat at Catcott.
Tealham flood has lots of water, just no birds.

Also 2 Eg Geese on Noah’s and a cracking dog Otter on the path and in the canal.

Fairly quick visit to Ham Wall today, 1 Blackwit, 1 Wigeon, and a handful each of Lapwing and Shoveler

This evening:  2 Green Sand, 1 Egy Goose, 1 Hobby, plus Mink, Hornet and Scarlet Tiger

A Green Sand today on Catcott in superb habitat.

Also 1 at Steart in filthy weather, plus a Cuckoo there;  and Paul G reports a G Sand today on Weston Airfield.
Seems Friday was the River Warbler’s last day, or last day singing at least.
2 singing Quail reported on Shapwick, Monday, I notice.

Weds 9th June, an Osprey over Ham Wall early evening, harassed by LBBGulls, perched up in cormorant trees to the south, and eventually flying right over the amazing River Warbler. This upgrades my previous best ‘Osprey over a rarity’, which involved a Rustic Bunting on the Norfolk coast a while back. Talking of Rustic Buntings…

Also a distant kite over Noah’s that I’m assuming was Red.

Still large numbers of swifts, plus 20 to 30 hobbies this afternoon at Shapwick Heath.

Large influx of Swifts and Hirundines in Ham Wall this morning despite steady rain. Also 2 Hobby in flight at around 9.40. This was easily the largest group of Swifts I have seen this year and some were flying very low.

I had a wonderful few hours out this morning; a pair of Cranes overhead at Ham Wall was a magnificent sight, along with Marsh Harrier and occasional Hobby.

Over at Shapwick, I was treated to a display of 12 Hobby overhead and an Egyptian Goose on Noah’s.

Frequent Bittern flights seen at both sites - what a time to be out and about on the marshes!

Plenty of the usual characters at Ham Wall today, with the benefit of a flock of 8 Whimbrel wheeling around, numerous Hobbies and good views of the Marsh Harrier pair from VP2. Wonderful to see so many ‘screaming’ Swifts, Swallows and a few Sand Martins too

On the warbler front,  juvenile Blackcaps being fed by an adult was a highlight, a Garden Warbler, many Whitethroat and plenty of Reed Warblers visible and heard. Cetti’s were making their presence felt in many places and one was seen with a beakful of insects across the South Drain from VP2.

Single drake Garganey visible(ish) from VP1 at Ham Wall along with Hobby, Bittern, Marsh Harrier etc.

Maybe a Water Pipit at Tealham? Though I’m not very confident on the ID.

Yesterday, 6 May:
1 Egy Goose on Noah’s tin hut
33 Whimbrel in fields at Westhay and 3 in flight at Tealham
56 C Egret east of Tealham
Single Yellow Wags at Tealham and Catcott
No Ruff at Catcott but a Wood Sand morning and evening

Whimbrel still present at Westhay this morning but no sign of the Bar-tailed Godwit . 4 ringed Plover on Tealham Moor.

Indeed, Hobbies are well and truly ‘in’, with perhaps 20 on each of Shapwick and Ham Wall over the weekend. Highest count I made was 16 from VP1. Plenty at Westhay too.

Wader highlights were 2 Wood Sand from VP1 yesterday pm found by Matt D and at Westhay, 43 Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit in fields opposite the car park. Also 2 Whimbrel with gulls just to the south of Ham Wall. A Ruff is still hanging out at Catcott. Robert K saw 3 sum plum Dunlin over Shapwick on Saturday.

Fantastic morning at Ham Wall, 41 species with the highlights being a swarm (10x) of Hobby, Garden Warbler, Bittern, Cuckoo, Whitethroat, Black-Tailed Godwit, Swift’s and great views of Marsh Harrier.