Avalon Marshes migrants
Very nice Martin, potentially of interest Penny (@fegwitch) posted an image of a very russet/ochre coloured juvenile Tufted duck this afternoon, though that had an obvious dark eye. Did your bird happen to flap its wings?
Green Sands and Snipe the only waders this morning but there is a 95% certain Ferruginous Duck present. I could not see any obvious white area below the tail but everything else was right for an eclipse male or female. Rich brown below, darker wings and pale eye. The bird seemed very nervous, swimming rapidly from one area to another so only briefly seen.
The Wood Sand reported on birdguides this afternoon from Ham Wall was still present this evening, although it was flushed at 7pm and disappeared at the back of the 2VP lagoon. Also there were 2 Green Sand, 2 Common Sand and 4 Garganey. No Blackwits.
2 Wigeon still on Meare Heath.
I was in Ham wall yesterday morning and can add that at least one of the many Lapwing seen was a well fledged juvenile. Also a number of Sand Martins around and 2 Bearded Tits seen between VP1 and 2 from the grass path. I also saw 2 Wigeon on Meare Heath on Saturday.
This afternoon/evening, Dan W and I spent some time on Ham Wall independently. When I left, we were cumulatively on:
3 Garganey 2VP, probably drake, duck and juv but all a bit scrappy.
Plus 4 Blackwit, 2 Green Sand, about 20 Lapwing and a handful of Teal.1 Wigeon on Meare Heath (!)
Dan may have more to add…
Not much more I’m afraid Andy, a Hobby repeatedly making a pass at a Lapwing was certainly noteworthy, and the first time I’ve seen this species make an attempt at such as large prey item. There appeared to be a good SW movement of Swift throughout the day however.
This afternoon/evening, Dan W and I spent some time on Ham Wall independently. When I left, we were cumulatively on:
3 Garganey 2VP, probably drake, duck and juv but all a bit scrappy.
Plus 4 Blackwit, 2 Green Sand, about 20 Lapwing and a handful of Teal.
1 Wigeon on Meare Heath (!)
Dan may have more to add…
At Ham Wall Friday evening after the rain, 3 cuckoos calling, 4 hobbies behind VP2, which at one point clubbed together to mob a female marsh harrier, behaviour I’ve never seen before. Barn owl from VP1 and lots of young, including a newly fledged family of whitethroats right next to the path.
3 Redshank were on 2VP lagoon this evening with a handful of Blackwit. Habitat shaping up very nicely. There were 2 Redshank on Catcott a couple of days ago but I suspect they are breeders.
Imm Purple Heron on Noah’s around 8pm viewed from the main path, before flying across to Meare Heath West and landing in a dead tree. 3 Eg Geese still. Maybe there are just 3 (I saw 3 a few days ago but suspected a 4th was hidden away somewhere).
I guess that will go down as ‘the Spring that never was’. But moving on…
Yesterday evening on the 2VP lagoon, Ham Wall, an LRP and a Green Sand were a most welcome sight.
Robert Kelsh has seen a drake and 2 duck Garganey at Greylake this pm, so presumably there are 4 birds total today. He also saw a Ruff.
Small group of sand martins at Ham Wall this afternoon.
Shapwick first thing today: 2 Eg Geese, a pair of Goldeneye (!), and swarms of Sand Martins. Thought they were Starlings when I first saw them, there could easily have been 1000.
Ham Wall: 1 Red Kite just to the north, and the hybrid aythya still.
Greylake: a pair of Garganey in front of the hides and a second drake on the floods behind the hides.
Westhay: 15 Goosander from London Drove and 51 Cattle Egrets with cattle a mile to the east by the road.
Thursday - Female Hen Harrier flew south through Catcott at 3pm. Bitterns booming on Shapwick (SH) / Meare (MH) Heaths & Ham Wall (HW) - also Greylake on Wed eve (4 Lapwings displaying there) - 4 Sand Martin over MH pool, lots more at Noah’s. Chiffchaff singing in MH woods, others calling at HW. It was noticeably quiet, from a human point of view, which meant 2 breeding condition GW Egrets were stalking along the canal & a G Heron fishing by Noah’s Hide. Wigeon numbers are definitely dropping everywhere, but still plenty to be seen, along with 3pr of Pintail at Noah’s. A couple of cut out Bittern pics by the SH walkway threw me for a bit (lot less mobile than the weasel we saw there in Jan). Wed pm the water levels at Muchelney were dropping fast, but the RN Duck was showing well & an adult Med Gull flew over calling (thanks to DC for pointing them out), also a couple of Curlew, hopefully on breeding territory ( 9 Redshank at Oath on Sat were presumably also heading back to summer).
Shapwick hides have signs on the doors asking you not to enter if you, or people you know, have cough or high temperature & saying you must wash your hands immediately upon entry! HW toilets are open, so you can do it there. SH & HW car parks are both currently free to use (I guess they don’t want machines broken into, as that will cost a lot more than they’ll collect). At least Greylake still has the shelter next to hide, if latter closes (the ducks have been sheltering to the right side, as cold wind coming from that direction).
19-Mar-2020
c.20 Sand Martins at Ham Wall this afternoon, over Waltons; 2 Grt W Egrets & 5 Little Egrets on Tealham Moor.
Noah’s early morning: 4 very lively Egyptian Geese - surely they’ll attempt to breed - 2 Whoopers and 1 drake Goldeneye still.
Hybrid duck still Ham Wall but it has a v dark grey back so good call Mike M, probably is Pochard x Tufted. 3 Cattle Egrets were with 2 Littles in the field next to the car park.
A smart drake Garganey appeared in front of the Greylake hides at midday shortly after a Peregrine had shaken everything up, plus 2 Redshank. Someone else there had also seen Peregrines copulating today on a pylon.
The ringtail Hen Harrier I’ve seen twice at Catcott this winter is almost certainly an adult female. Whitish ground colour to underparts, no warm tones, crisp dark secondary barring… (and well done Dave on a great RBGull find today)