Catcott Lows looking a little empty late afternoon today and yesterday. Most of the wigeon have gone, down to 30 or so. Still 60 teal, 10 shoveler, just 2-3 of gadwall, pintail, mallard, tufted duck. Four dancing cranes were a bonus though.

We could only see two blackwits at lunchtime, but still 3m, 1f pintail. Pools near Honeygar had 3m, 1f Pochard.

Late afternoon from the Catcott Lows hide:  still similar duck numbers, including 150 wigeon, 90 teal, 15 shoveler, the pintail , now 6 tufted duck. Single coot and little grebe still. A peregrine came through quickly but it took a couple of marsh harrier to put up the group of black-tailed godwit that had been concealed in the rush: my estimate 110 so it seems pretty likely these were the same 113 birds counted by Sean at Ham Wall early this morning. At 1730 they all flew off, heading west.

Interesting mix of birds at catcott this evening - small flock of golden plover and smaller number of blackwits, 5 lapwing, 6 pintail, pair of tufted duck, 1m gadwall (although there was a pair on the pool near Honeygar), 1 little grebe and single coot

Today pm 2 Glossy egrets showing well from Ham Wall VP1, bitterns booming, marsh harriers, cettis and chiffchaff, lots of blackt. godwits, kite, and spotted redshank. An osprey was also reported

Cattle Egret numbers on Godney Moor have more than doubled in the last fortnight, 221 in several flocks yesterday - since mid December there have been consistently around 100, the new birds may be the Shapwick/Sharpham contingent which have joined them or new birds in from elsewhere ?

The Ring Neck duck was on Meare Heath opposite the tower hide at 2pm before being scared off by a Marsh Harrier along with 6 pochard   Earlier on the walk down from Shapwick village, a male sparrowhawk with ex starling gave good views. 2 Egyptian Geese were in a field above coppice gate farm, and 50 ish cattle egrets were just off reserve near Buscott. Stayed dry too, which was nice.

The drake Ring-necked Duck showed well yesterday morning in front of Decoy hide in the sunshine.

Sand Martin over the road at the west end of Shapwick Heath this afternoon. Also 1 Firecrest, 22 Cattle Egret. 1 Ring-necked Duck still on Decoy but elusive in reeds to the right of the hide.

16-Feb-2025
The 2 Glossy Ibis still present from VP1 at RSPBHamWall 10:30 this morning, then flew off south at 11:20 towards nearby Long Drove pit on Sharpham Lane.

10-Feb-2025
Westhay Moor Drove (distant large fields) late morning: Separate large flocks of Golden Plover (c.500) and Lapwing (c.1,500) all wheeling in the sky having been put up by a quartering Marsh Harrier - a wonderful sight!

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