• Magical close up views this weekend

    Sammy, People Engagement Volunteer

    Fantastic views of all the wildlife from the hide and reserve today! We had a pied wagtail bobbing along by the windows peering in, stoats roaming the board walks, mute swans feeding in the ditches, at least eight snipe sleeping on the banks, hunting peregrines, goldfinches, lofty herons and both teal and shoveler feeding right outside the hide! A brilliant opportunity to see all the beautiful colours of the ducks and…

  • Little Grebe

    Sammy, People Engagement Volunteer

    Was treated with my first ever sighting of a Little Grebe at Greylake today, very beautiful bird that was diving in front of the hide and later washing and feeding. Brilliant!

     

                                                                            Photo: Lynne Newton

     

  • Willows and snipe

    Steve Ross

    A quick walk around the reserve on a lovely sunny (but chilly) morning, fantastic views of snipe directly in front of the hide! First I noticed a small group of about 6 all huddled together on a small clump of mud and rush. On closer inspection there were several more on the bank just behind them - about a dozen in all, some of which then decided to walk across to join the others.  Amazing close up views of an incredibly…

  • Peregrine Power!

    Sammy, People Engagement Volunteer

    Once again amazed at the peregrines at Greylake today! A  brillaint display by the pair showing team work and their speed and power. Once again enjoyed by all especially the little ones!

    We also have five Bewick Swans today at Greylake, a first for me! So make sure you visit the hide!

     

     

  • Spectacular sites at Greylake!

    Sammy, People Engagement Volunteer

    Visitors at Greylake today were not only treated with lovely sunny weather and a warmer hide but amazing views of a pair of pergrines hunting in full view of the hide and then gliding in front of it! Amazing sites that were enjoyed by all!

  • A frosty day at Greylake

    Sammy, People Engagement Volunteer

    If you braved the cold conditions today you would have been treated to views of pergrines and a hen harrier today at Greylake. The reeds and the reed bed loop were looking spectacular coated in frost.

  • Greylake

    Sammy, People Engagement Volunteer

    If your stuck for something to do today why not visit our reserve? Perfect for everyone and with a new reedbed loop to explore!

    Guaranteed amazing close up views of wildlife by the hide and you may be lucky enough to see a stoat running across the board walk!

  • Shovellers

    Sammy, People Engagement Volunteer

    First weekend back at Greylake today and was a treat as usual! Saw plenty of birds of prey and even saw a sparrow hawk hunting among the ducks. Plenty of shovellers around the hide, looking beautiful in the sun.

  • Peregrines over the pond

    Trish Harper

    A miserable dull, cold day didn't spoil a visit to Greylake last week.  There was loads of bird activity near the hide and all around in the surrounding fields.

    It was brilliant watching the pair of Peregrine Falcons flying low over the pond and scattering the ducks everywhere.  I saw quite a few wigeon, teal and shovelers on the ponds, and a couple of pintail aswell.
     

    I watched two water rails walking around right next…

  • New reedbed loop

    Sammy, People Engagement Volunteer

    For anyone who fancies an explore away from the board walk make sure you check out the new reedbed loop, will give you the chance to see more of the reserve and look out for birds flitting among the willows whilst herons fly lazily overhead. Wellies or sturdy boots recommended though!

     

     

  • Falcon's Galore

    Sammy, People Engagement Volunteer

    Despite the weather forcaste we were treated with peregrins, kestrels, buzzards a female hen harrier and merlin at Greylake today! The sky was also filled with lapwing, beautiful!

  • Stoats and shovelers

    Trish Harper

    Having been at Greylake as a new people engagement volunteer for only a couple of weeks I am already amazed at the vast variety of wildlife and the close up views from the hide and on the boardwalks. From peregrines dive-bombing among the ducks, lapwings and starlings filling the sky to stoats popping up in all sorts of places, it is definitely worth a visit, whatever the weather!

                                                      Shoveler - Nick Stacey

                                                      Stoat …

  • New reedbed loop trail

    Steve Ross

    Greylake is now more accessible than ever with the opening of the new reedbed loop trail. This path gives access around the reedbed and further into the reserve on the south side of the reserve, giving great views across the adjacent land towards Othery.  New screens and seating will soon be added to the trail.

    Look out for the Starlings going to their winter roosts, appearing to use the A361 as their guide taking them…

  • Masters of flight

    Steve Ross

    A sunny day at Greylake provides a great opportunity for close up views of swallows, swifts and house martins. There are many birds that encapsulate the sheer wonder of flight yet maybe none so joyfully as swallows.

     The first brood of the year are now on the wing with their parents and at times large parties can be seen flying all around the front of the hide. Often they will come down to the water in front of the hide…

  • Not just good weather for ducks

    Steve Ross

    The weather this weekend, whilst not being the best for a slow walk around the boardwalk, will be very welcome for the breeding waders at Greylake. Whilst it may not be so evident in the fields in front of the hide, the prolonged dry weather has had a dramatic effect here, at other reserves and throughout the Somerset Levels.

     With the ground softer adult birds will have a more readily available food supply to feed their…

  • Little yellow jobs

    Steve Ross

    Greylake offers a good chance of seeing yellow wagtails - however, there is a catch. You may have to work for it. On Saturday we had maybe a dozen separate sightings of these striking little birds however none of these were posing conveniently in front of the hide – they have nearly 200 acres to choose from so it shouldn’t come as such a surprise. To maximise your chances keep a watchful eye on the fields beyond the hide…

  • No-one told the warblers it was quiet!

    Steve Ross
    After an absence of over a month is was great to spend the day at Greylake again.
     
    You only have to walk 100  yards along the board walk and it hits you – the noise of the singing warblers is incredible. Sedge warblers are calling throughout the reserve and the reed warblers seem to be calling near the board walk closer to the hide. At times you’ll only be a matter of feet from the birds singing at the tops of their…

  • You never know!

    Steve Ross
    Saturday looked as though it could be relatively quiet at Greylake. In the morning there were good views of lapwing displaying in flight and on land – watch for lapwing pushing their chests into the ground with their wings tucked up behind them. This is how the lapwing will create their nest scrape and they continue to do this as a territorial display. There were also curlew calling overhead and a redshank visible on…

  • The waders are coming

    Steve Ross
    Even though the number of birds may be down there is still plenty of interest at Greylake.
     
    The curlew continue to call and be seen in the fields in front of the hide. They will soon disperse to their breeding territories – hopefully 1 or 2 pairs will remain with us at Greylake. Up to 35 lapwing have been seen displaying over the reserve and 5 redshank were seen this Wednesday.
    Another sign of the advance of…

  • All change at Greylake

    Steve Ross
    We’ve now entered that time of transition at Greylake. Most of our winter visitors have left and those that remain will soon be heading to their breeding grounds. Yet while for some Greylake is an overwintering refuge, for others this is the ideal place to breed and raise young. Over the last week or so we’ve heard the evocative call of Curlew flying overhead and up to eight have been seen feeding just behind the flooded…

  • Great Greylake

    Steve Ross
    “Sunday was spectacular this weekend at Greylake. Saturday’s strong winds had softened and the birds were taking full advantage. At times the sky was literally full with thousands of lapwing, duck and starling. As well as being a stunning bird, Greylake’s visiting peregrine falcons are great at scaring the visiting duck and waders into the sky, allowing those watching to truly appreciate the number of birds present. …

  • A magnificent morning at Greylake!

    Steve Ross
    “Sunday saw a bright, clear morning at Greylake. Almost immediately on entering the hide my eye was caught by 2 brilliant ‘white shapes’ on the far side of the flooded fields – 2 peregrines at rest on the ground, bathed in sunlight! At one point, we were lucky enough to have four peregrines in view at the same time!
    Luckily, despite the hard frost, a stretch of water had remained unfrozen allowing…

  • Secretive snipe

    Trish Harper

    A quick visit yesterday to check on the condition of the board walk was rewarded with the most fantastic views of snipe. 

    Initially they take a bit of finding because their stripy brown and golden plumage provides excellent camouflage. But sit at one of the hide windows and scan the mud and vegetation just five metres away and suddenly you will see one, then two, then three, then more and more and every now and again…

  • Greylake

    Steve Ross
    The scrape outside the hide has undergone quite a transformation over the last couple of weeks bringing the water right up to the front of the hide, and the increased water levels have brought in a flurry of  wigeon, teal, and mallard.  Good numbers of lapwing have also arrived, and golden plover have been seen recently.  Snipe and lapwing were seen just this morning amongst the other wildfowl near the scrape in front of…

  • Midsummer on Greylake

    Trish Harper

    3 or 4 Snipe can be seen and heard doing their aerial display above the boardwalk and the field in-front of the hide at the moment. You have to get there early, 5:30 to 6:30 am, or give it a try in the evening and listen to the weird noise made by the males vibrating their tail feathers in their undulating display flight. It’s called drumming but sounds a bit like the noise made by blowing across a piece of grass squeezed…