Another action packed week of sightings at Ham Wall. The Starlings of course still make most of the headlines with most birds still coming down in the Waltons and Loxtons reedbeds in 3 or 4 different groups but also talk of a very small break away roost over on Shapwick.
Where the Starlings are roosting some of the Great White Egrets are also spending the night. Anywhere between 4 and 15 have been reported taking off from the Loxtons reedbed each morning. They often don't stay long after sunrise but many come back a short time later. It's worth scanning the Loxtons and Waltons reedbeds and trees at any time of day to pick some up. Also check out the 1st platform - a favourite feeding site for one or two of them. 18 is the top number reported this week - on Tuesday morning. Thanks to John Crispin for all the photos:
Great White Egrets at Loxtons : John Crispin
Great White in tree at Loxtons: John Crispin
Also this ringed bird was seen in flight this week:
Tuesday this week also saw the best sightings of the 2 Glossy Ibis. Not sure where else they go on site but the Tot View Hide is a good place to start. Thanks to both Andrew Kirby & John Crispin for these stunning photos taken there this week. They were so close in at times people were struggling to get them all in the frame:
Glossy Ibis: John Crispin
Glossy Ibis: Andrew Kirby
The Tor View Hide has also been a good place to spot Snipe this week on the cut island opposite and also from the 3rd of the Waltons screen with 8 seen on the island there. You may have to search hard for them sometimes as they can be well hidden.
Several duck species are using this area too. Teal, Gadwall and Shoveler show well close into the hide and screens. On Thursday 42 Teal were counted along with a single Pochard (although 30 were counted from the 1st platform the same morning). Another surprise was this Scaup - although it could well be a Scaup Tufted duck hybrid according to John Crispin who too the photos. Taking a quick glance in a bird guide I think he could be right. The birds darker grey back and scapulars along with a peaked crown (from the Tufted duck) suggest so anyway. Any thoughts anyone? :
Scaup/Tufted hybrid: John Crispin
From the 2nd platform it seems that the Greylag and Canada Geese are making it their own. Varying numbers reported but up to 60 Greylags some days. On Wednesday 38 Canada geese and 24 Greylag geese were counted.
Other birds in good numbers on the reserve are Cormorants. You'll often see them in flight or perched on rafts at Waltons but it's the rafts at Loxtons from the screen which always seems to keep them coming back. It's rare to go there and not see any. 26 present yesterday morning:
Cormorants: John Crispin
Also within the Loxtons section this week many male Shoveler still in their eclipse plumage. They usually feed by upending and filtering the surafce of the water or moving together on the surface to try to dislodge food items from the bottom mud. This week however John Crispin has seen at least 5 individuals using a different method - actually diving. On surfacing you could see weeds in their bills but wasn't clear whether they were eating the weed itself or extracting the prey from it under the water - interesting to study behaviour of these birds sometimes!
Loxtons has also been a place to spot Kingfisher this week along with The Tor View Hide and the 1st platform. A couple also reported having seen 2 together at the far end of the reserve on Sunday - both perched up on railings next to the main drain that runs through the reserve.
If you're visiting us there's often interest in the car park. A Buzzard was seen this morning perching up on the telegraph poles for long periods posing for photos but also large flocks of Goldfinches continue to hang around in this area. The feeder cam in the welcome building is visited well by Robin (underneath) Great Tits and Blue Tits but it's the Great Spotted Woodpeckers which are the best to see. There are at least 4 hanging around the car park area and one has also been heard drumming away this week.
Also this week: 4 Ravens flying over the reserve on Sunday, 3 Pintail seen from the 1st platform also on Sunday, Treecreeper seen within the tree line along the main track between the 2 platforms but nearer the 2nd one, large groups of Lapwing recorded (up to 300) flying over the reserve but many lifting off from the section south of Waltons in the morning - perhaps going of to feed elsewhere, 7 different Roe Deer seen on grassy banks not far from the Avalon Hide on Tuesday and again Bearded Tits heard but not seen in front of the Avalon Hide during the week.
Thought I'd leave the last mention to another of the reserves stars. Marsh Harriers are still being seen on a daily basis, with as many as 4 individuals soaring over the Waltons/Loxtons reedbeds in the mornings for carrion (most likely dead Starlings from the roost). $ again were seen out hunting (2 either side of the Avalon Hide) during the afternoon on Tuesday:
That's it for this week. Have a great weekend !