A quick update on what has been happening at Greylake over the last few days.
After a really soggy weekend water levels have risen fairly high because the reserve takes and stores flood water from the King Sedgemoor Drain during periods of flooding on the Somerset Levels and Moors. It's great to see the reserve doing the job it's designed to do but as a consequence we do have some low level flooding on the paths at the top end of the reserve.
The water is ankle deep in places but we have decided to keep the paths open and the main hides are still accessible - albeit with wellies!
Fortunately the ducks at Greylake don't mind the water and we are still being treated to large numbers of shovelers, teal, wigeon and mallard.
A few of the several hundred teal at Greylake by Nick Stacey
In recent weeks we have had a flock of up to 100 black tailed godwits along with flocks of lapwings and golden plovers. Another wader that is hard to see is the snipe but the Lookout hide is a perfect spot to get really close up views.
A snipe in front of the hide tackling a rather fat earthworm by Nick Stacey
All of these birds in one place are a big attraction for birds of prey such as marsh harriers, peregrines and there has even been a report of a hen harrier in the area.
Last night I swung in to the reserve on the way past to check the paths and had some brilliant views of a barn owl hunting in the fields just beyond the car park. It was quite a distance away but slowly moved closer and eventually flew over the hedge and with in about 5 feet of me, before spending sometime on the field by the reed bed loop.
So despite all the water there is still a lot to see!
We are anticipating that the water will diminish over the next few days and the paths should be back to normal by the beginning of next week.
Michael