Another stunning week at Ham Wall with many more fabulous sightings to tell you about.
Actually I'm on a bit of a high having seen a mother otter with 2 cubs this morning whist walking the reserve. I got spotted though and they sneaked off to the side. When I got there, there was no sign of them at all - no idea where they went but it proves the mother is doing a great job keeping them safe. I wasn't far from the Avalon Hide so worth keeping an eye out.
We've had a lot of rain over the last couple of weeks and the path to the Avalon Hide is pretty flooded but it is passable (to the side of the path on some stretches) - good shoes or wellies a recommendation, although now that the outer drains are dropping we are able to pump out once more so the levels here should only go down from now on and improve things. Its a good place to see marsh harriers however including a well marked male, a female and this sub adult male. Thanks to John Crispin for the photos of him. They show both the plumage on the underwing and the top of the wing and the prominent grey tail:
Of course the rain maybe great for ducks but makes things harder for birds such as barn owls. On Monday John Crispin saw, and photographed, one perched on the box at the wood opposite the 1st viewing platform (VP1) at 9.30am. The heavy rain for the 24 hours previously would have precluded the owl from hunting but it eventually retired to bed at around 10.10am.
Duck numbers are still good across the site but may have dropped off slightly. It's likely that the rain has flooded more areas up in the local area and opened up other feeding opportunities meaning birds are spread out more. VP1 has been a good place to go duck counting as well as the section to the right (East). Teal are plentinful with several hundred using these areas - the calls with give you an idea of how many there are. Lapwing too c200 are using both sections.
From the platform add: mallard, gadwall, shoveler, wigeon and tufted duck to your list but also look out for ferruginous duck which has been seen a few times this week including this morning - photographic evidence of this and a selection of other ducks supplied by John Crispin - thanks John!
ferruginous duck
Male pochard with 2 females
Tufted duck in flight
Mating gadwall
Great crested grebes have been seen out here too along with great white egrets, occasional little egrets and little grebes wich are becoming very vocal at the moment.
In fact bird song is increasing all round - particularly if you get a sunny day (we have had a few). The main track is a good place to listen and look out for a wide selection of birds. Song Thrushes were very noticeable early in the week with at least 3 calling close to the car park, wrens, blackbird, robin, great tit all beginning to make there presence known. Also look out for bullfinch, treecreeper, goldcrest and hoards of long tailed tits all recorded along here during the week. A dunnock was calling and singing continuously opposite VP1 on Monday. John Crispin captured this shot of one flying between song posts:
Other birds use other signals to form territories such as great spotted woodpecker. A couple have been heard this week drumming loudly on wood - the sound really cuts through and travels quite a way. I heard drumming from the Central Wood today (on the way to the Avalon Hide) and then saw a pair perched up in the open on the top of a tall birch tree. They have nested in this wood for the last few years - more of the same please.
One major territory call came this week. Our 1st booming bittern on Monday - could well be the first in the country. It came from a section we own to the south of Waltons during the WeBS count (Wetland Bird Survey). Keep your ears open too for booms and the slightly weaker grunts of male birds as they get themselves warmed up!
Several flights of bittern seen this week - several reports from the Avalon Hide including 2 this morning and a further 2 yesterday from Loxtons and the section just behind. The Loxtons bird superbly photographed by John Crispin - thanks again John!
So what of the other Heron species? Grey Herons of course are seen daily - they could well start to nest within a month or so - look out for birds dropping into Waltons with nesting material - they have nested within these reedbeds for the last few years. Cattle Egrets are still roosting on site and are occasional seen flying over the reserve. Other than that its the fields in the surrounding area that need to be scanned. The Glossy Ibis usually hangs with them but has been seen out from VP1 this week on its own, while great white egrets are now a pretty common site. Try either platforms or scan within Waltons or look from the Avalon Hide - most visits end up with a sighting these days.
Also within Waltons the Tor View Hide is definitely worth a visit. A ring necked duck has been reported there for much of the week and explains the absence of the one that was seen at Shapwick early last week.
Water rails have also been seen here a few times or on the path leading to the hide. Kingfishers too are regulars from here or the Waltons screens. Great crested grebes are nearby too and have been displaying again this week - a lovely sight. Bearded tits were seen on Monday and reported to me by a visitor whist a Cettis warbler also calls from close by. Sparrowhawk and kestrel also seen from this location.
The starlings have been giving people the run around a bit having been roosting off Ham Wall & Shapwick Heath during the week but it seems they may have drifted back to Ham Wall. Some came out of the very first bit of reedbed on the left this morning and could be viewed from the bridge but others were further down. Best viewed from the Avalon Hide area or VP2 for an easier (less muddy walk) but slightly more distant view. Of course they could move again but that's the latest. Drop into the welcome building in the car park or phone the starling hotline for the latest 07866 554142
Also this week: Some small groups of fieldfare overhead during the week, coal tit seen at the car park, buzzards daily, ravens often prominent including one from the car park this morning (see the photo below of a bird over Loxtons this week - note the tail shape - a great aid to ID) several stonechats still being spotted - often in pairs, several Canada Geese and a few Greylag geese and the Egyptian goose which has been seen several times this week from VP1. It was also seen by John Crispin feeding with greylag geese in fields close to the reserve:
Raven: John Crispin
Egyptian goose: John Crispin
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Have a great weekend everyone!