It's been another cracking week on the reserve and the action is really ramping up. There have been vast numbers of sand martins passing through each day with people talking of numbers in their hundreds in the sky at once. Lesser numbers of swallow swift and house martins but it's still an amazing sight to watch these aerial masters. There are plenty of flying insects for them to hunt - one obvious one you will notice…

Plenty of April showers this week but it hasn't dampened our spirits. As always, there is plenty for me to report and what's a little bit of rain when you've got such a fantastic reserve to visit. 

Spring migration has of course continued and we've finally welcomed back the swifts - one of my favourites (although somehow I keep missing them myself). A few were seen as early as Monday but slightly larger groups…

It seems we took a long time waiting for spring to arrive and then suddenly it almost felt like summer for a couple of days. The sunshine has certainly brought the visitors into the reserve and there's been plenty for people to see. The spring migrants continue to arrive and it was great to get my first cuckoo of the season. That iconic sound almost encapsulates spring on its own.

I was some way from it, but it sounded…

The spring migration is gathering pace with lots more new arrivals this week. A noticeable increase in the numbers of sand martins and swallows over the reserve - the 1st platform (VP1) as good a place as any to observe this. Good numbers passed over this morning picking off the many flying insects that are hanging in the air. Some visitors also reported a few house martins but I'm still waiting for my first.

John…

I'm going to say it straight away.....spring is here. There, I've done it now and I can't take it back. We've been seeing signs here and there for a while but to be honest as a true Brit (I'm going to moan about the weather now) - the snow and rain (more than just April showers I would suggest) have put the brakes on a bit.

But this week, it's all starting to happen. It's been a week of firsts for…

Just when you think spring is here we get another load of snow dumped on us and I hear rumours that there may be a bit more to come. You can't help but think of all the wildlife that's been readying itself for warmer weather to be suddenly thrown a curve ball like that.

There was a rather snowy WeBS count (Wetland Bird Survey) across local reserves on Monday. One of our surveyors was shocked to see sand martins…

Here we are already well into March! January and February whizzed by at Ham Wall, we were busy trying to get as much work completed as possible before the end of the habitat management season.  Here's a brief summary of what we’ve all been up to.

The Truxors (amphibious reed cutting machines) were back in to finish off the work started before Christmas.  This included reed cutting in areas away from public view…

Firstly, apologies for the missing blog last week. The storms and snow meant I couldn't safely get into work so it's left me with a bit to catch up with. Thank you to those who sent in photos last week. I will include them in this week's round up instead along with this weeks pictures. Also, I should mention that I'm away next week so there won't be a sightings blog. However, Warden Ali Blaney has been preparing one of…

Sadly it  has come to our attention over the last few weeks that a small number of people have been accessing parts of the reserve that are closed to the public in an attempt to get closer to the starling roost.

The areas that these people have been intruding into are wildlife sanctuary areas, they are clearly signposted and usually behind locked gates. We purposely exclude public access to these areas so that the wildlife…

It's sometimes hard to know how to start writing the blog. I was thinking it was a week much like any other on the reserve but when you work here every day and are immersed in work and surrounded by this wildlife all the time it's easy to forget just how far this place has come in recent years. A normal week on the reserve is a pretty amazing one. 

It only takes a few conversations with visitors to bring it home…

Yet again there's a awful lot to report from the reserve this week - it's often hard to know where to start so I'll just go on a kind of imaginary walking tour of the reserve and take you through what's been seen.

Guess it makes sense then to start in the car park. Obviously lots of common species can be seen here including very friendly robins, blue tit, great tit, goldfinch, blackbird, wren and dunnock…

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…

The weeks seem to be flying by at the moment. Maybe because there is plenty of work to keep staff and volunteers busy.

Winter has always traditionally been a busy time as we undertake much of the habitat management work to keep the reserve in tip top shape for wildlife. Some volunteers have continued to strengthen some of the viewing screens around Waltons, while others have been taking on some scrub work over the last…

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…

Another week has simply flown by - spring will be here before you know it. Many birds are already pairing off or beginning to show off those beautiful breeding colours. 

As reported last week, great crested grebes are displaying with plenty of head bobbing and some weed dances being witnessed. There's a pair visible from the Waltons screens (which are now all back open after undergoing repairs - thanks to volunteers Garry…

he most notable change over the last week or two on Ham Wall and indeed Shapwick Heath has been the large increase in duck numbers. It will be interesting to see what numbers the WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey)  brings this weekend. 

If you stand at the 1st viewing platform (VP1) you'll see what I mean. Plenty of wigeon, teal, shoveler, gadwall, mallard and tufted duck on show - it's a great sight and some great sounds too…

Welcome to the first reserve blog of 2018. Happy New Year to you all - I hope you had a restful Christmas break. Wildlife of course carries on as normal and as always there's plenty to report. 

The majority of starlings switched to Shapwick over the Christmas break but this was only short lived and most of them appear to back back on Ham Wall again - distant from the 2nd platform as before. This can change again though…

Firstly, an apology for the absence of the blog last week. I just couldn't find the time I'm afraid - it happens sometimes. Anyway, with it being the last full day of work before the Christmas and New Year break I thought I ought to at least do a quick update on what's been about lately. 

I guess the starlings are a good place to start. Recently the main roost site seems to have moved to Shapwick Heath - in…

Here we are in the final week before Christmas - where has the year gone!  Before some of us sign off for the festive period, here's a quick update about our work since the last blog.

Habitat management
We’ve been doing a bit more reed cutting with the Softrak in a couple of locations, including our next area of reedbed rejuvenation. This is out to your left if you’re looking from the first viewing platform. In the…

Lots of activity on the reserve this week - busy with wildlife but also with habitat management activities. If you have visited you may have noticed a couple of strange looking machines working away in the reedbeds and open areas. Apologies, that much of this activity has been in public areas and in front of the platforms and hides. They help us with our vital management work to keep the site in tip top condition for…

Not got a lot of time today so it may be a quicker blog than usual I'm afraid. Still plenty to talk about however so lets get started. The Starlings continue to draw in the visitors as expected and the main roost has remained on Ham Wall with most birds using the area distant of the 2nd platform. Smaller roosts are occurring in both the Waltons section and on Shapwick Heath. Hopefully if they move visitors or volunteers…

It's felt more like winter this week with colder, wetter days, darker skies and high winds at times. The colder, shorter days bring about changes in birds behaviour with many birds flocking together for security, warmth and in areas where food is more plentiful or it's more sheltered. Starlings are of course our most classic example of this. Estimates of over 100,000 birds roosting on the reserve each night - these could…

As always it’s been a busy time here at Ham Wall, so busy in fact that I missed my blog slot in October. However Steve C is off today so I’m sneaking my November management blog into his usual Friday slot, with a few sightings and an important notice about a road closure in at the end to try and keep everyone happy!

Car Park work
Most noticeable to many of you will be the work that has taken place in the car…

A great effort from our practical volunteers this Wednesday & Thursday have seen the car park islands cut and cleared, trees staked, pot holes filled, guttering put up on the new education shelter and signs cleaned and repaired and much more. Thank you so much for all the hard work you all put in. It's all looking great and we will all enjoy seeing the wildflower show again in the spring thanks to your efforts.…

Yet another busy week on the reserve for both staff and wildlife. We've been continuing to clear areas of Waltons with volunteers - opening up some views from the 3rd screen and the Tor View Hide. There's a bit more to do but we are making good progress. I've also been out cutting with our machine in areas close and on the way to the Avalon Hide. A contractor has been in and cleared out the ditches which just leaves a…