Shapwick Heath

The flagship reserve of the Avalon Marshes complex, Shapwick Heath has a remarkable mosaic of wetland habitats to its name, providing excellent year-round birdwatching.

Walking west from Ashcott Corner past the extensive reedbeds, key areas are the Meare Heath lagoons (dependent of Natural England's management policy, one may be drained in spring and autumn as a wader scrape) and Noah’s Lake, visible from the main track past the crossroads and from the hide down the peaty drove to the left.

At the western end are hides overlooking Decoy Lake and Canada Farm lake, the latter accessed through the distinctly different damp woodlands and wet meadows of the area west of the Shapwick–Westhay road.

Bittern, Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Cetti’s Warbler and Bearded Tit are all present year-round. Summer sees Hobbies (including large gatherings in May) and Garganey, and Common and Black Terns and Little Gulls visit every year, though often briefly. The scrape attracts a wide variety of waders: as well as commoner species, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint are all annual when the lagoon is drained.

The list of rarities is long and varied, including Hudsonian Godwit, Lesser Yellowlegs, Red-necked Phalarope, Temminck’s Stint, Long-tailed Duck, Smew, and Whiskered, White-winged Black and Gull-billed Terns. Purple Heron, Cattle Egret, Night Heron and Glossy Ibis have been seen annually in recent years.

Good selections of wildfowl and the huge Starling roost in winter, warblers in summer, woodland birds year-round, and a wealth of other wildlife (including Otters) mean that each visit is different, but usually varied and rewarding.