The spring migration is in full flow and you can build up quite a bird list during a visit to Ham Wall. The car park itself can be very rewarding. Blackcaps seem to be everywhere along with several singing Chiffchaff. Song Thrush can be heard belting out its call and add to this Great Tit, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit and you're well on your way.

Unfortunately it seems that the Blue…

Very little time to write a blog before the long Easter weekend I'm afraid so I will probably keep this more brief than usual. Thankfully John Crispin has come up trumps with some great photos as always - thanks John!

Another early morning booming Bittern count this morning across the Avalon Marshes produced exactly the same result as the last. 45 in total - fantastic stuff. Ham Wall this time had 19 with 2 just…

Wow, what a lovely week it’s been and packed with yet more amazing sightings and for me, lots of firsts for the season.

This week brought me my first singing Willow Warbler – there are several along the main path through the reserve – you just have to listen past the throngs of Blackcaps which are also present. I got my first Garden Warbler too – there are at least 3 along the main path too – one past the old rail…

There's no doubt that spring has sprung now on the reserve. There's been some beautifully warm days and lots of action to enjoy on the reserve. I was away last week so no blog - just in case you thought you missed something. Just a couple of things to report from last week to update you before I start on this weeks news. 

A Cattle Egret was reported from Loxtons last week but it only stayed briefly, whilst a single…

Is it just me or does it feel like spring is here? What does it for me is the arrival of good numbers of Sand Martins flying over the reserve - great timing as there seems to have been an emergence of small flies too, so some good feeding opportunities. Listen out for their chirping calls as they hunt on the wing. 

We've also had a couple of reports of Swallow too - one yesterday but a couple previously including one…

Another busy week on the reserve with plenty to report.  Early flowers, such as Celandine, are beginning to show and yesterday in particular there was some glorious springlike weather which brought out lots of visitors but also bumblebees and butterflies. Peacock and Red Admiral were seen and also look out for the first Brimstone too. 

As last week there's plenty of birdsong too. Keep your ears open along the main track…

Yes, OK we've had howling gales and tonnes of rain but spring is still in the air - honest! Just look around you when you visit the reserve. Snowdrops and daffodils are out, frogspawn has been seen in pols and there's even the odd bumblebee and butterfly (Red Admiral spotted) out on the wing in the warmer spells. 

Our feathered friends are being extremely vocal. Walk along the main track and you'll hear Song Thrush…

There's a bit to catch up with as there's been no blog for a couple of weeks due to me being off last week. The previous week saw our office porta cabin picked up and moved to the other end of the Avalon Marshes Centre ready for building work to take place by the workshops (this will eventually be our plush new office, shared with Natural England & Somerset Wildlife Trust). Thankfully the office stayed intact and is now…

Bit of a wet and miserable week on the reserve this week. It hasn't dampened our enthusiasm though and there is, as always lots to talk about. We have had the odd spell of sunshine this week - or at least some breaks in the rain. There is a noticeable increase in birdsong of late with several species singing with gusto. One of the most obvious is the Song Thrush. One was belting out it's song in the trees by the car park…

Lots of fantastic reports of great wildlife sightings around the reserve and some brilliant photos to match. Thanks to John Crispin (as always), Natalie Talbot and Andrew Kirby for their fantastic submissions.

The Waltons section would seem as good a place to start as any with all sorts of wonderful goings on to tell you about. Of course we have the Starlings which are, unbelievably, still using the same area (along…

There have been some fantastic sunrises this week over the reserve and plenty of signs of the approach of spring.

Yes, it may be cold but I'm not going bonkers - the slightly longer days and warmer spells (at times) are triggering a difference in behaviour from some of our wildlife. Mind you I've not heard my first booming Bittern yet - it was this date last year when I had my first. 

There have been a few…

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…

Happy New Year everyone - I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year and are ready for another eventful year at Ham Wall. As expected the Christmas break brought lots of visitors in (a few thousand recorded) the majority of which came to see the Starlings who have continued to roost in the Waltons and Loxtons sections of the reserve offering visitors really close views. They may change roost sites soon - it's…

Firstly, apologies for the absence of the blog last week. We've been having some issues with broadband connections at the office and it just wasn't doable I'm afraid. Thankfully, it's all fixed up so there's 2 weeks to catch up with. 

Let's just start straight away with the Starlings. They're hard to miss. Estimates have now reached 750,000 birds in the roost. They have continued to use the Waltons…

Another week packed full of wonderful sightings at Ham Wall. Obviously at this time of year the main draw on the reserve is the ever growing starling roost which continues to roost on the reserve each night. Well over 500,000 birds are roosting in the Waltons and Loxtons sections at the moment. Visitors have been amazed at this wonderful spectacle. Of course, they can move - there's a vast area for them to choose from…

Torrential rain last week and sub zero temperatures this week means the reserves wildlife has taken a bit of a battering but I'm amazed at how resilient it is. Another cold one this morning  adding to their troubles. Quite a thick layer of ice in places has formed as temperatures have probably failed to rise above zero for 3 days.

Quite a range of wildfowl has gathered in front of the first platform however where…

A huge amount of rain fell on Monday and Tuesday this week - not surprisingly there were very few visitors all day. John Crispin did come in however (very brave) and spent an extremely wet morning on the reserve but was rewarded with some good sightings an a couple of photo opportunities. Like these very wet cormorants:

On Monday (& again on Tuesday) a Water rail was seen out in the open feeding on the island opposite…

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…

The weather's taken a much colder turn this week and we've had a couple of morning frosts. This usually puts pay to the last of our dragonflies. Don't remember seeing one this week but it is possible. This time last year I was still seeing the odd Ruddy Darter that was clinging on. 

During sunny spells one or two butterflies are still being seen. On Tuesday 2 Speckled Wood and around 10 Red Admirals were seen…

Some beautifully warm days again this week but some misty starts and noticeably colder beginnings and ends to the days. The sunny spells usually bring about an increase in activity from our resident (and visiting) wildlife. The sun often brings out the Bitterns with multiple flights being observed from different birds. Scan the open areas and standing reed from the first platform but also keep an eye on Waltons. There…

Birds of a feather are certainly flocking together at Ham Wall at the moment. It's a sign that winter is on the way. The most obvious of these of course would be the Starling. Numbers are beginning to increase as the weather turns that little bit colder. At least 10,000 birds are currently roosting within Loxtons and the eastern half of Waltons - at least that's where they lifted off from this morning. Phone the Starling…

A dull week at Ham Wall ?.....not a chance. As always plenty of exciting things to report. If it's birds of Prey you're into it's been a particularly good week on the reserve. 

Monday saw an Osprey (earlier reported at Shapwick) flying over the reserve. We picked it up over the Loxtons section where it was mildly harassed by a couple of Marsh Harriers before it drifted further away. On Sunday a female Hen…

There's been a noticeable change this week - despite the glorious days with lovely sunny spells, there is a definite chill in the air and the evenings and night times are noticeably colder. This is reflected in the behaviour of the wildlife on the reserve. The first winter thrushes have been reported locally (Redwing & Fieldfare) so keep an eye out for these and of course our most obvious winter visitor - the Starling…

Another week has come and gone and as always there's lots to talk about:

If you're not bored of them yet, the Glossy Ibis are still being seen daily. Often in front of the 1st platform but we have also now lowered the water levels in the west side of Waltons in readiness for some reedbed management. We usually cut the island in front of the last (3rd) screen and this is where they have also been seen this week. They…

It sometimes seems that there's not much to report in the blog some weeks because nothing much new has happened. But when a normal week includes Glossy Ibis, Great White Egret, Bittern and Marsh Harrier, it can't be that bad can it?

We've brought the water levels up a little further in front of the 1st viewing platform by pumping from the section behind. It's creating a nice spectacle from the platform but also…