Another week has flown by and it's Friday blog time again already. Time certainly seems to pass quickly and looking at some of the behaviour of birds on the reserve you'd think spring was already here (although it certainly hasn't felt like it at times this week).
This morning from the Tor View Hide, the pair of great crested grebes, who were last week head bobbing and weed dancing, were seen mating and have even begun preparing a nesting platform.
The Waltons and Loxtons areas are well populated with duck - shoveler particularly obvious. Many look like they are in pairs and some have been seen swimming round in circles with each other - part of their mating ritual. One of the volunteers, on Thursday mentioned seeing several males making short looping flights in front of female birds - trying to impress them perhaps. I saw a few near me doing something similar but falling ungracefully through the thin ice just under the water - perhaps, not so impressive.
As I mentioned last week, bitterns have been attempting to boom - a couple of quiet wheezes all that's being accomplished most of the time - they are still warming up that big neck muscle which projects the impressive boom. It perhaps won't be long before we hear the fully formed sound - part of the fabric of Ham Wall these days.
One was seen flying across the car park in the gloom after the impressive starling display on Sunday (thanks to Mike Dilger for pointing it out - think I would have missed it otherwise - too busy talking to all the excited visitors). I had seen 2 cattle egret flying over the car park earlier in the day, which was nice. 6 had been reported in the field next door on Saturday (21st). Also on Sunday a bittern was seen sat out in the reeds at Waltons. Perhaps it was this one photographed by Andrew Kirby from the Tor View Hide. You can see how they disappear into the reeds so well. It is there, honestly. Thanks Andrew:
Several birds can be heard in song. Robins (no surprise there), blue tit, great tit and song thrush all heard in song this morning. Some visitors were thrilled to see robin and great tit feeding out of their hands this morning.
Many cormorants seem to be gathering in their usual nest sites - there must have been about 25 there this morning and grey herons (traditionally early nesters) are also taking a look at their usual spots in the Waltons reedbeds - visible from the screens or the Tor View Hide. One bird was photographed there this week displaying by Andrew Kirby. He wasn't sure who to as he was sat there alone. That was different this morning with 2 pairs sat together in the reeds. Thanks to Andrew for his shot of the displaying bird (a fine looking bird indeed):
Although this is spring like behaviour, the colder weather has changed some birds behaviour too. Some have no choice but to become a bit braver and venture out into the open. Classic ones for this are moorhens. There were several out on the Loxtons trail together on Monday morning as I undertook the WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) in this area. Once they saw me they scattered in all directions.
Chiffchaffs seem more abundant at the moment with high numbers seen, particularly in the colder weather. Small groups (4 or 5 birds) have been seen following the ditch and path edges searching for food in the low vegetation.
Water rails often come out of hiding too and some visitors have been reporting seeing them around the reserve - they are also becoming more vocal though, with spring at the back of their minds.
The cold snap we've been having has been keeping some areas completely iced over, but groups of birds tend to get pushed together wherever their constant movement has kept a spot open. There was a ring of open water from the first viewing platform (VP1) for much of the week as well as large pockets of birds in both the Waltons and Loxtons sections.
It's turned slightly milder which means the thaw is underway and water bodies are opening back up again. There were hundreds of wigeon and teal in particular from VP1 this morning whilst over in Waltons there were plenty of shoveler along with gadwall, mallard, some tufted duck and the ever noisy and boisterous Coot. Thanks to John Crispin for is shot of tufted duck in flight and of male and female Teal having a preen this week:
There are a few teal close in from the screen facing the cut island at Waltons this morning and if you look very closely some snipe were hiding there too. Thanks again to John Crispin for sending in a couple of snipe shots taken at this location:
Note the location of eye of the snipe giving it virtually 360 degree vision - pretty handy when there are predators about.
Definitely one or two predators at Ham Wall to be concerned about. Perhaps the most obvious would be the marsh harrier. They are seen daily on the reserve, with both male and female seen from the Tor View this morning and from the Avalon Hide where the were showing courtship behaviour in flight.
Yes, I did say the Avalon Hide. The good news is that the previously flooded path is back open now that surrounding drainage channels have dropped. We have pumped for 10 days solid to try and get things "back to normal" although the cold snap afterwards caused an ice rink effect even once levels were low enough. I've been up this morning and cleared some more ice off the path in places to widen the passable area - it is a bit sticky though.
The reward for getting to the hide was a nice bunch of teal, marsh harriers, great white egret, great spotted woodpecker in the woodland and a kingfisher so worth the trip - apologies for the mass of starling feathers and messy floor in there - the barn owls have been up to their usual tricks.
One was spotted out in daylight from VP2 over last weekend.
Other birds of prey include buzzard seen daily, tawny owl heard calling in the daytime near the car park, sparrowhawk over the car park on Wednesday but also around starling time and a peregrine which cut through the starling flock on Sunday (22nd) but was also seen chasing a marsh harrier from the car park earlier in the day.
I've mentioned them twice at least already so I'll deal with starlings next. Sunday and Monday were spectacular displays over the car park and Waltons (where they eventually settled) with wonderful murmurations - i was in on Sunday working and even I went WOW! By Tuesday they were not in Waltons at all but were visible distantly from VP1. Last night not visible from there at all. although a couple I spoke too today said a lot of birds just carried on to the east. So my guess is that there is a large roost distantly in front of VP2.
I'm saying guess because it seems they are beginning to move around a bit more frequently making it a bit harder to predict. My advice would be to perhaps go to VP1 and see where they start to gather. If they come back to Waltons and VP1 - happy days. If not you have the option to quickly move towards VP2. Or you could take the gamble and go to VP2 and risk that they go back to Waltons or even over to Shapwick but see the whole thing even if a little distant.
There's always plenty to see while you wait for (or try too track down) the starlings - as you can tell from what I've already written but it's worth scanning all the birds in the tree lines by the main path too. Groups of birds are sometimes mixed too and can hide some more unusual birds.
From the main path this week, we've had reported: lesser redpoll, siskin (both near one of the new benches looking into Loxtons), bullfinch, redwing, fieldfare, treecreeper, coal tit, Siberian chiffchaff (not sure of location on this one), gangs of long tailed tits, goldcrest near the end of the boardwalk bridge from the car park and great spotted woodpecker.
Reed buntings have been seen here too but generally they seem a little more obvious - perhaps forced to feed higher up on reed stems due to the frozen ground. Thanks to both Andrew Kirby and John Crispin who have sent me reed bunting photos this week:
Also this week: an otter seen in the drain from the old rail bridge, a stoat seen hanging around the visitor building at the car park, muntjac seen along the grass footpath on Monday, a roe deer sat in clear view across the drain from the main path on Monday morning, a fox seen near the Avalon Hide, jay seen at the car park, raven over the car park this morning but numerous other sightings this week, great white egrets from VP1 on most days, kingfisher from the old rail bridge and at Waltons this week whilst over on Shapwick Heath the American wigeon is still present on Meare Heath whilst the lesser scaup from the south end of Ham Wall last week is now on Noah's lake after being frozen out I suspect (a ring necked duck was also reported close to it).
Before I go I've been asked to share some info about some upcoming guided walks on the reserve, so here goes:
Bird watching for beginners – guided walk at RSPB Ham Wall
18th Feb 2023 10.30am – 12.30am.
Learn to tell your great tits from your coal tits and your dunnocks from your house sparrows. Join us on a walk around RSPB Ham Wall as we see how many different birds we can spot, whilst learning more about their different behaviours.
Mother’s Day Sights and Sounds of Spring – guided walk at RSPB Ham Wall
19th March 2023 10.30am – 12.30am.
Join us on a walk around the reserve as we enjoy the sights and sounds of Spring, whilst learning more about the different birds and other wildlife which you can find at RSPB Ham Wall.
Ticket prices for both are £8.50 Adult RSPB member, £10.50 Adult non-RSPB member, £4.50 Child RSPB member and £5.50 Child non-RSPB member.
Right, that's it for another week. Hope you've enjoyed the read and have a great weekend. I will be working on Saturday, so come and say hello if you are visiting.