Great to see the reserve and surrounding area on "Hugh's Wild West on BBC 1 on Saturday night. Ham Wall and the Avalon Marshes feature heavily and look stunning. If you haven't watched it, you really should. It's on BBC iplayer and features starlings, great white egrets, bitterns, staff, volunteers and local enthusiasts amongst other things. You even get the briefest glimpses of me - not that that's a great reason to watch it of course. The programme was a great advert for the reserve and the local area though and well worth watching.
So what's been happening on the reserve this week? - plenty as always - so much sometimes that it's hard to know where to start. Well seeing as all the heron species were some of the stars of the programme, let's start there.
More booming albeit quiet and some grunting reported from bitterns this week - they are still warming up but will be getting louder and more prominent over the next few weeks. We'll be having our usual early morning bittern listen across the Avalon Marshes in mid March and should reasonably expect to hear between 40 and 50 males, given the trends and figures for the last few years.
In terms of seeing one, you just have to be in the right place at the right time. Last Sunday (4th) one was stood in the cut areas in front of the Avalon Hide and there have been some flights reported here too so definitely worth a try. Some have also been seen in flight over the area in front of the 1st platform (VP1) this week too.
Great white egrets have been seen here too - pretty much on a daily basis so this is probably your best bet for seeing one of these although they are massive and white and therefore stick out like a sore thumb most days when they fly about.
The Glossy Ibis has been seen again this week too and again from VP1 (including yesterday) but on at least 3 other occasions too since last Friday's blog. During Monday's guided walk it was seen from VP1 and then flew to VP2 and was seen again - a nice thrill for the guests. It's still been hanging out with the cattle egrets too in the local fields this week.
The cattle egrets too have been seen on several occasions in varying numbers. An estimated 24 during Monday's walk flew over VP1 whilst 20 were seen on Tuesday and 8 were seen at around 8.30am on Wednesday morning - so it seems early in the morning may be the best time - this is probably shortly after they have left the roost site on the reserve.
You can also add grey heron and little egret to your heron list on most days but it will be around April before we welcome back the little bittern (we hope) and who know's what will happen with the night herons this year?
The rarer ducks have again been seen this week. The very rusty looking ferruginous duck was seen in front of the Avalon Hide on Sunday but was back on the other side of the reserve on Monday & Tuesday. It was in the section on the right just before you get to Waltons - either look across from the main path or from the old rail bridge.
The ring necked duck has been a little more obliging and has been seen from, or close to, the Tor View Hide every day this week. As you reach Waltons on the main track look up the channel that runs up in front of the hide - you may need a scope. Alternatively you could be lucky enough to see it right in front of the hide. Thansk to Graham Wagner for sending in these pictures he took this week. There's a nice comparison with a Tufted Duck to help you with what to look for:
Whilst your at the Tor View Hide, there's plenty more too look out for. Reported from there this week includes: Great crested grebe pair, little grebe pair, green winged teal (seen on Sunday) kingfisher, marsh harrier, sparrowhawk (male), snipe, teal, shoveler, mallard and water rail - This one Graham Wagner saw swimming across one of the channels - thanks for sending it in Graham:
Kingfishers seem to be generally quite busy in the Waltons area - try also the 3rd screen area where one if often seen perched up in the reeds. Listen out for its whistling call in flight to help make you aware of its presence.
The first platform maybe the best bet for a great white egret or a glossy ibis but there's plenty else to see too. A good range of wildfowl including: pochard, mallard, gadwall, tufted duck, shoveler, wigeon and teal. Look out also for great crested grebes and large flocks of lapwing and snipe. There have also been varying numbers of black tailed godwits reported here this week (and from VP2) with up to 26 on one occasion. Thanks to John Crispin for this snapshot of some of the godwits:
Also reported from VP1 this week: Peregrine on Tuesday which seemed very interested in the lapwing, kingfisher, raven, stonechat, marsh harrier, pintail and barn owl - seen in the box again in the wood opposite VP1 in the distance. Always worth scanning this box just in case. John Crispin was rewarded with this hot on Wednesday - thanks John:
The other owl box worth scanning is the one in the wood behind the Avalon Hide - once again this week Tawny Owl was reported looking out of the box just like the barn owl above. Whilst at the wood listen out for drumming great spotted woodpecker. They've been heard across the reserve this week but have bred in this wood for at least the last 3 years so hopefully more of the same again this season.
The 2nd platform VP2 is also worth a visit offering something slightly different - again lapwing, tight flocks of snipe in flight and black tailed godwits seen but also Canada goose and greylag goose reported. There are some quite big flocks around and are rather noisy beasts - you usually hear them coming. On our Long Drove plot this week (south of Waltons) c180 flock of mixed greylag and Canada geese were using the area - they flew right over me and the volunteers and was quite a sight.
19 pintail flew over VP2 on Wednesday headin south west and John Crispin manged to catch this shot of 11 of the group:
VP2 (or the Avalon Hide) is probably the best place to catch up with the marsh harriers during your visit, although they are seen elsewhere. John Crispin has sent in a couple of shots - they show off nicely how the harrier uses its tail for optimum control. Thanks John:
Also, whilst at VP2 check out the alder trees nearby. Often the trees in this area are good feeding spots for redpoll and siskin - both seen this week in this area. John Crispin too the lovely shots of one of four siskins feeding on alder cones next to VP2 on Wednesday. Lovely - thanks John:
The tree lines are always full of birds (warblers in particular come spring). Look out for goldcrest, treecreeper and bullfinch pairs, gangs of long tailed tits & song thrush all seen this week. A firecrest was also reported close to VP2 on Wednesday.
Also this week (as if that wasn't enough): bullfinches showing well in the car park, buzzards seen daily, both male and female sparrowhawk seen in woodlands opposite VP1 yesterday, 5 raven over the car park yesterday, plenty of goldfinches, roe deer seen in surrounding fields oh and 750,000 starlings (hard to ignore that one).
They've been moving around a bit but the majority have spent the week over on Shapwick Heath. Yesterday 8 marsh harriers, a peregrine and a merlin were seen close to the flock. I would still suggest parking at the Ham Wall end due to lack of space at the far end of Shapwick and prepare for a slightly longer walk. Also a good idea to check into our welcome building where staff or volunteers will hopefully have more up to date information about where they were the previous night - they could move again.
Still plenty of time to vote for us in the Countryfile Awards. If you don't know we have been nominated in the best nature reserve category and we need your votes to win so please do vote and encourage friends and family who love the reserve to vote too. Thank you.
You can do it here: bit.ly/2DqOvhN
If you could also please sign up your social media accounts to our Thunderclap to we'd be really grateful. It will help us reach more people all at once and generate more support. It's really simple and quick to do and can be done here:
https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/66978-vote-now-for-rspb-ham-wall
That had better be it for this week - have a great weekend!