Aimed primarily at novice birders or those new to Somerset, here are a few ideas to liven up your birdwatching over a notional year. There are never any guarantees in birding, of course, but hopefully these will give you better chances of seeing the birds you want to see. Reading copies of the annual report, Somerset Birds, will give you more ideas. For news of more unusual species keep an eye on the sightings forum.
January February March April May June
July August September October November December
January
A new year, full of possibilities. The various reserves that make up the Avalon Marshes always have a good selection of birds (though Ham Wall can get very busy on weekend afternoons as people gather to watch the Starling murmuration). The Steart area is also always a likely bet, with large numbers of waders and usually a raptor or two (Marsh Harriers and Merlins are regular at Steart Marshes, with Hen Harrier a possibility), and often a Short-eared Owl or Barn Owl late afternoon. Brent Geese and occasional seaduck can be seen off Stolford, usually around high tide. The intake structure at Hinkley Point often hosts roosting Purple Sandpipers at high tide, though a good scope will be needed to pick them out.
Greylake RSPB is also a great spot for raptors, particularly late in the afternoon, and wildfowl – famously, it has hosted a drake Baikal Teal in some recent winters, though it can be very elusive and it may take a few visits to see it. Another regular returning bird is the Kentish Plover off Burnham-on-Sea, which has spent at least four winters here, but unless you see it early morning on the beach it can be distant and difficult to see over on Stert Island – even when present, a good scope is definitely required to pick it out.
February
Often rather similar to January, so what’s said here applies equally to that month, though some duck and gulls begin to move, particularly if areas freeze over during a cold snap. Odd geese may turn up in such conditions too – Sharpham and opposite Westhay Moor car park are good areas to check. Cheddar Reservoir is usually worth a look for scarcities – Goosanders regularly come into roost late afternoon, when the gull roost can also be worth a check.
Swell Wood is always a good spot for woodland species – Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, and Treecreeper are all regular around the feeders in the car park. Numbers of Bramblings in Somerset vary from year to year, but good sites to look for them are Brown Lane, near Ralegh’s Cross, and along the Quantock ridge between Crowcombe Park Gate and Triscombe Stone. Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers will be starting to get active in the Quantock and Exmoor combes too.
March
Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers are at their most conspicuous, calling and in leafless trees. Try Bin Combe in the Quantocks or anywhere in the Horner Wood complex for the best chances, though they can be very elusive, so you still need a dollop of luck.
Wildfowl and gulls are on the move – Cheddar Reservoir has a good track record for producing Little Gulls, perhaps an Iceland or Glaucous Gull in the roost, and scarcer diving duck and grebes. The Avalon Marshes or perhaps Greylake are good spots for a chance of a fine drake Garganey later in the month.
Early passerine migrants are on the move too, increasingly so later in the month – coastal sites such as Stolford may host early Wheatears, and look for passage Ring Ouzels in upland areas. Sand Martins and even the odd Swallow or House Martin may appear over reservoirs or Shapwick Heath.
April
Passerine migrants pour in from the second week onwards, while the last of the winter thrushes leave. An influx of Red Kites has featured in recent springs, but it’s pot luck whether you find one.
The reedbeds of the Avalon Marshes come alive with the sound of Reed and Sedge Warblers, and the resident Cetti’s Warblers are at their most active and visible. Cuckoos should be active too, and Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath both give opportunities to pick out a few singing Garden Warblers from the abundant Blackcaps. Bitterns are also more active than usual, including courtship flights where you may see multiple birds in the air at once – quite a sight!
There should be Little Ringed Plovers and Avocets on Otterhampton Marsh at Steart Marshes, with Yellow Wagtails also a good possibility. Passage waders may also drop in.
On Exmoor, newly arrived Grasshopper Warblers are often unusually visible reeling from the tops of the heather. Try Horner Wood for singing Redstarts, Pied Flycatchers, and, from late in the month, Wood Warblers – walking among the ‘temperate rainforest’ of oak trees covered in moss and epiphytic ferns can feel quite magical.
Coastal sites like Brean Down, Steart or Lilstock should produce migrants in the right conditions, perhaps including a rarity.
May
Anything can happen anywhere in May, so keep a close eye on the sightings forum for the latest news, but remember that spring migrants often move on quickly. Coastal sites like Brean Down or Berrow LNR offer the best opportunities for finding your own. For those more interested in our breeding birds, it’s a perfect time to take part in surveys (see survey page for what is on currently). Hodder’s Combe in the Quantocks is a great walk at this time of year – full of bird song including Pied Flycatchers and Wood Warblers.
Shapwick Heath will host peak numbers of Hobbies. Passage waders at Steart should include Whimbrels and peak numbers of Bar-tailed Godwits, and possibly a Little Stint or Curlew Sandpiper.
Finally, later in the month check your local churchyard or copse for Spotted Flycatcher – you might get a nice surprise!
June
Spring migration is all but over, but there are still chances to find your own goodie – Golden Oriole, Honey Buzzard, and Red-backed Shrike are all slim chances, but possible, and could turn up anywhere. Slightly more possible is hearing a Quail calling from unimproved grassland or a cereal crop, though numbers vary markedly from year to year. Checking the waders at Wall Common might produce a surprise Little Stint.
Bitterns on the Avalon Marshes should be feeding young by now, and are at their most active and visible. Still, warm nights in June are perfect for seeing and hearing Nightjars – try Staple Plain in the Quantocks, Stockhill on Mendip, or virtually any suitable heathland area on Exmoor.
July
The midsummer doldrums, but plenty of breeding birds are still active, so it’s time to find those last few survey records for the season. Waders start moving south again, so sites like Steart Marshes and Durleigh Reservoir are worth a visit – Green and Common Sandpipers are the most likely at this time, but there are chances of a number of other species too, including Ruff and possibly Wood Sandpiper.
Midsummer storms can produce some good seawatching off Minehead or Porlock Weir – Manx Shearwaters and Gannets are the most likely species, but there are a few recent July records of Storm Petrel, for instance, and even one or two Sooty Shearwaters off Burnham-on-Sea (at around high tide is essential here). It’s pot luck as ever with Somerset seawatching. Wandering terns are more likely – Cheddar Reservoir and Noah’s Lake both have a good recent track record, or try the coast between Steart and Hinkley Point.
August
We usually think of August as being summer, but for many birds it is the start of autumn migration. Waders predominate, and Steart Marshes and Durleigh Reservoir are worth regular visits, as you are likely to see a different selection of birds every time. Some passerine migrants start moving back through too – Yellow Wagtails, Wheatears, and Redstarts are all likely, and if you’re really, really lucky an Aquatic Warbler might appear in the reedbeds at Steart.
Don’t forget seawatching, in the right conditions – skuas might get blown up the Bristol Channel or come overland from the North Sea.
September
Our summer visitors are leaving us in droves, but they can put on some great shows as they go. Check out Stolford, Dunster Beach, and Huntspill Sea Wall for good numbers of Wheatears, Yellow Wagtails, Skylarks, pipits, hirundines, and the like. Wrynecks can turn up anywhere along the coast, and regularly in gardens inland too.
Wall Common and the Brue estuary are good bets for Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints among other passage waders.
September is the best month for seawatching if conditions are right, though it is unpredictable. Strong northwesterlies can bring Leach’s Petrels close in off Burnham over high tide. All four skua species, Grey Phalaropes, and even Sabine’s Gulls are possible.
October
The stream of passerine migrants slows as many birds have already departed, but this is the rarity-hunter’s favourite month. Coastal sites will usually offer the best rewards, and patient searches may produce a Yellow-browed Warbler or Firecrest, or something rarer – Brean Down has some top-class October rarities to its name. Passage Ring Ouzels may also occur, often among influxes of other thrushes, though the Exmoor combes have been more reliable in recent years later in the month – a walk down Chetsford Water to the confluence with Ember Combe is often the best bet.
Visible migration along the coast from Brean Down to Huntspill can be very rewarding, though it helps immensely to know the calls as birds belt south overhead – Brambling, Twite, Hawfinch, Woodlark, and Lapland Bunting are all possible to varying degrees, though each is likely to be an occasional highlight amongst sometimes impressive numbers of commoner species.
Inland, the arrival of ducks and waders for the winter might bring in something interesting too. Try Greylake or Steart for a returning Hen Harrier or Short-eared Owl.
November
It’s not quite winter yet, though winter thrushes should be around in numbers. Black Redstarts could appear anywhere – Brean Down Cove and Stolford/Hinkley Point are regular haunts. Rarer visitors from further east often appear late, too – Pallas’s Warbler and several Richard’s Pipits have been found in this month.
Wildfowl on the Levels and wader flocks around the Parrett Estuary start to increase rapidly and offer some spectacular sights. As does the Starling roost in the Avalon Marshes, which should also attract raptors.
Seawatchers’ minds turn to divers and the hope of a storm-blown Little Auk or perhaps a Velvet Scoter or other scarce seaduck. Try Minehead, Hurlstone Point, or Porlock Weir early morning.
This is the best month historically for Snow Buntings along the coast – the Stolford area and Dunster Beach both have a good track record. The last Somerset Shore Lark was on the shingle at Porlock Marsh as long ago as 1998 – it’s a long shot, but possible.
December
Waxwing years are few and far between this far south, but if it is another influx year, Taunton always seems to get at least one flock, and last time around towns from Frome to Minehead shared in the fun. Check out any areas of berry-bearing trees or shrubs – supermarket car parks are traditionally favoured sites, so you might even get a nice bonus while doing the Christmas shopping. Hawfinches are another species which is scarce in Somerset, but prone to occasional influxes – churchyard yews are a favourite haunt.