Ham Wall VP1, 10am today: juvenile Purple Heron seen to land at water’s edge (right-hand side), stretch and stand for one minute, then fly and drop into reed-bed at the back. 
Bittern also seen at the front of the same reed-bed.  Couldn’t connect with any Firecrests, though!

My first booming Bittern of 2026 this morning on 70 acres at Shapwick Heath. Also 3 Bullfinch were in the blackthorn bushes west of the Ashcott Corner entrance to the reserve. Their usual haunt but my first sighting of them this year.

A pair of firecrests were c. 100 m east of VP2 at Ham Wall this morning. There was a report of the American wigeon on Noah’s lake. I didn’t see it, but there are thousands of ducks there!

Canada Lake this morning had 500+ teal and 300+ wigeon, the largest numbers I’ve seen there over the last three years. Two red kites went through together, possible pair. The immature white-tailed eagle reported from Meare at midday was at Catcott Lows later and last seen disappearing towards Canada Lake just after 4pm, causing a disturbance amongst the cormorants etc.  The regular glossy ibis was again on the Lows hide pool late afternoon.

The RND’s were not at Sharpham on Friday but pleased to report they have now returned, both present, same place, at 1500hrs today - also a female Scaup with Pochard and Tufties on the Lake at the junction of Sharpham Lane and Sharpham Drove.
The Sharpham Whitefronts were also missing on Friday but they have not returned.

The two adult male Ring Neck Ducks were still present at the location described by Jeff on 20/12 - easy to find, apart from 2 male Tufties with which they were associating they were the only Duck on the Lake, not visible from the road today, I had to walk 50yds up Allotment Drove to see them.

12-Dec-2026
Drake American Wigeon still on Noah’s Lake from Noah’s Hide this morning. Present for its 3rd day, but takes some finding ‘scoping the several thousand dusks present!!

20-Dec-2025 (16:00 hrs)
Two adult drake Ring-necked Ducks still on small roadside lake next to & east of Allotment Drove, off Sharpham Lane (north of Walton).

06-Dec-2025
Adult drake Ring-necked Duck showed very well 13:30 to 14:00 today on Decoy Lake, Shapwick Heath NNR. It was with 34 Tufted Ducks, but no sign of the other drake.

There have been yellow browed warbler, chiffchaff, gold and firecrest reported in the bushes before VP1 in last few days

My customary visit to Ham Wall on the first of every month was hard work this morning as wind and rain approached but it was mainly dry between 9 and 11am. The most notable records were from the area north of VP1 where there were at least 500 Lapwing, 86 Blackwits, 2 Snipe, 4 separate Marsh Harriers in view at the same time, plus good numbers of Coot, Canada Geese, Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon, Tufted Duck and particularly Gadwall. By contrast VP2 lakes were almost deserted with just one GWE and 6 Mallard seen there. Passerines were hard to find but a Goldcrest was the highlight. 33 species in total. Away from the Avalon marshes but not far, I was surprised to see a pair of Blackcaps in my Westhay garden at 8am. I know many people have overwintering Blackcaps but they seem to avoid us most years.

Yes, Tom Raven also reported one from Walton’s on 5th, but other sightings from around the 12th seem to relate to a Grey

For the avoidance of doubt, I can confirm that the juv purple heron I saw on 5th was definitely not a dark juv grey heron - striking mottled brown wing coverts, scapulars and mantle contrasting with grey primaries and secondaries very clear in flight! Which isn’t to say of course that there hasn’t been a dark juv grey present more recently. I had a close view and watched it for some time as it flew ahead of me, paused and flew again on Waltons. Best view I’ve ever had of one in the UK. Nice bird.

On another note, great egret AJW ringed on Ham Wall this year has been reported from the Isle of Wight.

Seen photos of penduline tit at greylake today.

More recent reports of purple heron at ham wall seem to involve a very dark immature Grey…

Obliging juv purple heron on Waltons, Ham Wall, this afternoon.