Following the success of 'What's that bird?' in January we have another morning planned in March.

Saturday 12 March
10 am -12 pm

It's been a pretty good week all round but the best news has come this morning. Having spoken to the contractors who have been working on the Environment Agencies bridge it looks as though the main path through the reserve will be open again today. Maybe even now as I write this blog. 

It will be a relief for all those coming to visit to see the Starling murmurations over the weekend. The majority of the birds have…

We've had it all this week in terms of weather. High winds, rain, snow, hail and lovely calm sunny periods. The wildlife is amazingly adaptable however and as always there's plenty to talk about.

The Glossy Ibis is still being seen quite regularly - as last week it been seen several times on the cut island opposite the 3rd screen at the Waltons section. Both John Crispin and John Crabb managed to grab these shots…

All photos taken by John Crispin this morning from the 3rd screen at Waltons on Ham Wall. The Glossy Ibis has been seen here before so worth checking this area out early morning and the Grebes have been head bobbing and platform building earlier in the week. Now they're weed dancing - fantastic to watch these elaborate courtship displays! Thanks John for the fantastic photos, as ever.

Thought it a shame…

I wouldn't say spring is in the air but there are certainly a few signs of change on the reserve this week. Snowdrops are out along the rail path, although not yet on the car park boardwalk at the Shapwick end where there are large clumps each year. 

Birdsong seemed quite significant this morning. Several species were calling along the rail path tree line including: Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed…

The best news of the week was being able to get the Avalon Hide back open again. As you may know the access had become extremely muddy and too difficult access. It's taken a lot of work in a short space of time but we've done it. Rubber matting has been laid throughout the woodland and beyond to the hide. Thanks to all the volunteers who worked so hard to turn this situation around so quickly. It's fantastic to have it…

We're pleased to say that we have now reopened the Avalon Hide at Ham Wall after it's closure due to the muddy conditions of the access path.

Rubber matting has been laid through the woodland and beyond to the hide. Many thanks to all the volunteers who worked so hard to help us turn this around so quickly. 

Great White Egrets feeding and Marsh Harriers hunting in front of the hide yesterday and this morning…

It was a bit of a shock on Wednesday with temperatures of -6 degrees on the reserve during the day. This however did not stop me from hearing my first booming Bittern of the year. I sounded like it was over at Waltons and boomed in sets of 3 on several occasions. One closer to me tried to reply but let out a single more wheezy effort . Yesterday another bird was heard booming from the other end of the reserve - somewhere…

A much colder feel this week and it finally felt like winter on the reserve - there were even a couple of icy patches. As with last week there seems to be an upturn in the numbers of wildfowl on the reserve - I have particularly noticed good numbers of Teal this week.

The Dusky Warbler was seen again early in the week. This time on the rail path by the Autumn/Winter bird ID board before flying through the trees back…

Happy New Year to you all and welcome to the first sightings blog of 2016. Having been away over Christmas, it's always nice to get back to work in such a wonderful place. I've tried to keep my eye on things from afar by watching Twitter updates and looking at the Somerset Ornithological Society website but nothing beats getting out on the reserves yourself. I'd seen the Dusky Warbler was being tracked down fairly regularly…

Regrettably we have temporarily closed the Avalon Hide as conditions along the path to it have just become too difficult to use due to the muddy conditions. We will be taking steps to improve this over the next couple of weeks and keep you informed about when it will open again.

We apologise for this inconvenience.

Thought it would be interesting to write a list of all the birds seen and heard - however brief at the reserve this year. Unfortunately, I cannot say I've seen all of these myself and of course there could well be some I've missed, so if you spot an omission please let me know and I'll update it - thanks. Haven't counted the Hudsonian Godwit as it was never recorded on Ham Wall land as far as I'm aware.…

Well, as promised here is another blog just before our Christmas break. It's going to be a bit shorter than normal as I'm posting on Wednesday rather than the usual Friday - I don't fancy working on Christmas day!

Several visitors have been in chasing the Dusky Warbler, although perhaps chasing isn't the right word. Standing still for a few hours of slowly walking the tree line up and down more like. Many…

Another mild week on the reserve - not really feeling like December. Some of our wildlife is perhaps a little confused too with several common frogs seen in one area this week while staff and volunteers were working,  a few sightings of Red Admiral butterfly and even the report of a Swallow flying over the car park this Monday. I've also read of a report of 4 Swallows being fed in a nest in Cornwall.

The mild weather…

Another busy week is coming to an end and it seems we're never short of things to talk about.

One rarity has popped in this week - a Dusky Warbler, located on the footpath side of reserve. It could still be around having first been spotted on Sunday but again on Wednesday close to the junction that leads to the Avalon Hide. Try searching the scrub between here and that to the right of the 2nd platform. On both occasions…

It's a busy time on the reserve for staff and volunteers with plenty of reed cutting and scrub management required to keep the habitat in top top shape for wildlife. It's been very mild for December and one or two staff members and volunteers have been working in short sleeves on occasions this week. Although warmer clothes are soon put on once the physical work stops. There have been some strong winds too - this often…

It seems the most welcome news of the week has been the opening of the toilets in the Ham Wall car park (left hand building in the picture). It's been something our growing number of visitors have been wanting for quite a while, so its great to finally get them open. At first there will be limited opening hours due to the difficulties in staff being on site to get this done but we've gone with the very manageable times…

The main track and bridge through the reserve at Ham wall are now open again as the Environment Agencies contractors have completed the current work (they may be back in the near future however). For the moment it's business as usual and a break from having to walk down the muddy diversionary footpath. 

It means slightly cleaner boots for all for a while at least. The Starlings are currently roosting in front of the…

Lots of great sightings to report this week as well as an update on the new facilities. 

As you may know the Avalon Hide is now open and is offering great views to visitors over the north of the reserve. The Starlings have been dropping in up this end of the site, so the hide or the 2nd platform have been the places to catch the best views. There must be at least 250,000-300,000 birds in the roost by now although I haven…

The best news of the week is perhaps the long awaited opening of the Avalon Hide. It's been a long time coming but we're finally there. You access iby following the footpath beyond the new bridge and take a left turn up towards the wood. There are plenty of signs out so just follow those.

It faces an open pool which is usually home to a few duck species throughout the winter but there have been frequent sightings…

The wet weather and the ongoing bridge closure has certainly kept some visitors away this week. You really should visit though as there is plenty to reward you for your efforts. 

The bridge closure on the rail path doesn't mean we are closed. All you need to do is walk the footpath on the other side of the drain parallel to the rail path then cross over the new bridge back to the rail path (Waltons, Loxtons and the platforms…

It's been a fairly quiet week on the reserve despite it being half term. This of course is due in part to the main path closure as the Environment Agency work on their bridge. The reserve is very much open however - you just have to walk down the footpath on the other side of the main drain and cross back over the new bridge further down. There is on muddier stretch however, so some wellingtons or stouter shoes would…

A week this week much like the last - which of course means there's a lot to talk about. There always seems to be plenty going on!

Volunteers undertook the monthly WeBS count (Wetland Bird Survey) on Monday but it was fairly quiet as surveys go, although this is nothing new for the October WeBS. Highest counts came in at Gadwall 100, Wigeon 70, Mallard 64, Snipe 18 and Lapwing 150 although later in the day I counted…

I said last week that it felt more like Autumn and this week has confirmed that feeling. There seems to have been a significant turning of leaf colour around the reserve and some very chilly mornings with a mild frost here and there.

This has also heralded the arrival of some winter visitors, with large groups of Redwing in particular seen locally. A large group were seen around the car park on Thursday, while groups…

There is a real sense of Autumn on the reserve with chillier mornings, damper weather and the changing colours of trees and plants we see every day. There has also been some thick mist hanging over the reserve and the surrounding roads giving that mysterious and almost timeless feel to the Avalon Marshes. For the most part it soon clears and there have been some lovely days to enjoy, plus we've made some good progress…