After a fairly dry summer and a very dry autumn, I guess we were due for a good soaking at some point. Sunday however was a glorious day and extremely busy on the reserve. The car park was full by Starling roost time and lots of visitors went away really happy with the show. I haven't had an estimate given to me this week but would imagine 100,000 birds isn't far off. The main roost has still been going into the Loxtons section of Ham Wall and is best viewed from the rail path. The roost can change locations of course - there's a huge area for them to choose from so give the Starling Hotline a call, where a recorded message will give you the last known location: 07866 554142
You might like to come in and see them take off too - a guaranteed show, if you know where they landed the night before. Just come in before first light and wait. Not only do you get to see masses of birds, there's always a chance of a beautiful sunrise too.....
Sunrise at the Tor: John Crispin
Look out also for flocks of Fieldfare and Redwings coming over on the way to their roosting grounds. I saw 30-40 Fieldfare flying over Loxtons on Sunday afternoon but had reports on Saturday of hundreds passing over the car park - lots of small groups but one of 250+.
Fieldfare: John Crispin
I was lucky enough to be working on Sunday in the beautiful sunshine. The reserve was busy with people and the wildlife was busy too. From the car park Chiffchaff could be heard singing and a Green Woodpecker yaffling not far away. A Grey Wagtail flew over the car park at lunchtime and during morning several Red Admirals were seen as well as a female Ruddy Darter dragonfly.
Whilst at the Tor View Hide I saw a mating pair of Ruddy Darter on the wing and another individual but perhaps that will be the last of the now with the more consistent cold weather. The Tor View Hide really did come up trumps for many on Sunday. The Glossy Ibis landed right in front on the cut area to the right (and were seen later at the Avalon Hide) while in the reeds on the right a pair of Bearded Tits were seen. A Stonechat was also seen perching up on the tops of the reeds and a Robin was also busying itself. There's another very tame Robin that hangs around by the Waltons screens - maybe looking for a morsel of somebody's sandwich.
On the island opposite the Tor View Hide, and down on the 2nd island up from the screens on the west side, a Water Pipit was noted on a couple of occasions (unfortunately not by me) and on the same island 2 Snipe. Easy to overlook them - such good camouflage.
Snipe: John Crispin
Waltons has also been the place to see Kingfishers - at least 3 were zipping around the area on Sunday. For one perching up, perhaps a long quiet wait in the Loxtons screen is the best bet.
The 1st platform probably still offers the best location for views of Great White Egret. One in particular stands out there for long periods. 2 were seen if flight from here on Sunday and looked to drop in at the 2nd platform area so you could try here too.
We've got a contractor in this week and next using a floating reed cutter. He's been clearing areas in front of the 1st platform and will be doing the same at the 2nd as well as in front of the 2 willow blinds on the footpath side as well as in Waltons. This should open up some views and create some new feeding areas for birds. One of the first to utilise these areas is often the Pied Wagtail. You'll probably see a few around the reserve during your visit....
There are plenty of duck to track down too. Good numbers particularly in front of the 2nd platform. The true numbers are often hard to see unless they are disturbed - perhaps by a low flying Marsh Harrier. Good numbers of Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall and Mallard but also a few Tufted Duck on offer:
Tufted Duck: John Crispin
The 2nd platform area once again has been home to large numbers of Canada and Greylag Geese and even the Glossy Ibis have dropped in on several occasions this week. Many Canada Geese - perhaps 100 were this morning in the maize stubble fields to the north of the reserve (looked on by the Avalon Hide (distantly). In the same fields were 4 Roe Deer. We've had a lot less sightings of them lately but you can often stumble across one around the Waltons or Loxtons trails:
Roe Deer: John Crispin
Another notable sighting from the Avalon Hide this week was the huge number of Corvids flying around the reserve to the north. 100's of Carrion Crow & Jacdaws were causing some commotion. They seem to have been around for much of the week and were seen giving 2 Buzzards a very hard time on Wednesday.
The most unusual sighting was also in this area. A visitor reported seeing a Little Bittern from the Avalon Hide on Thursday afternoon. Most unusual for November - we've never had one this late. It does make you question such sightings but this is the second such report in the last week. Just after I published the blog last week a visitor reported seeing a Little Bittern in Waltons. On both occasions the visitors were fairly confident of what they saw and had seen them before - so you never know.
Also this week: Plenty of Great Spotted Woodpecker sightings including one flying down the rail path track this morning, 2 Ravens flying over Loxtons calling loudly on Sunday afternoon, possibility of a Barn Owl roosting in the Avalon Hide (lots of droppings seen but also a telltale feather), Peregrine seen hanging around the Starling roost as well as plenty of Marsh Harriers, Green Sandpiper reported from the 2nd platform on Thursday, Sparrowhawk seen from the 1st platform on Wednesday, gangs of Long Tailed Tits roaming the reserves treelines and Bullfinch and Goldcrest heard calling along the footpath side.
Goldcrest taking a bath : John Crispin
That's it for this week. Happy hunting and have a great weekend!