Monday was a cloudy but bright day which saw us heading off to Ham Wall first. We had not walked far when overhead flew a couple of Cattle Egrets, wow what a start to the day. Very good numbers of hirundines including our first Swifts of the year. A Cuckoo was in fine voice and we did in fact see 2. Whitethroats are now present as well as Reed Warblers.
Superb as well to see our first Hobbies of the year at both Ham Wall and Shapwick. Bitterns were seen all over the reserve with several flyby's, not forgetting to mention great views of Marsh Harriers. More Whitethroats and Hobbies were seen on the Shapwick side and apart from some Greylags with goslings the scrape was very quiet until 11 Cattle Egret flew in. What a grand finale to a top day!
Tuesday saw us starting at the Shapwick side, sun and cloud plus a freezing strong wind joined us today. At the scrape were Black tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Ringed Plover & a single Little Ringed Plover, Hobbies and Swifts overhead & a few Great Egrets etc. We stayed in the tower hide in good company for 2 hours hoping to see the Otter which is often seen at the Scrape. Unfortunately we did not see it. Heading back to the carpark we spotted a Garden Warbler in the undergrowth, it flew high up to a tree opposite and at last we had a great view of a singing Garden Warbler a lifer for us.
Great to see dragonflies and damselflies emerging plus Orange Tips & Peacock butterflies where the sun shone.
Wow! Cattle Egrets flew overhead
Bullfinch along the path seemingly feeding on the Dandelion seed heads
Plenty of booming Bitterns, we spotted this one before it took flight
Grebe pair still sitting tight at the Avalon hide
Little Egret flies into the reed edge
Male Marsh Harrier from the Avalon hide
Love the way that Harriers hover over the reeds
Harrier flyover - love that stare
Good numbers of Orange Tips all over Ham Wall reserve
Female Orange Tip
Lots of Damsel flies making an appearance
Another of the Grebe nests at Ham Wall
A 'grebelet' on its own for a minute, fingers crossed a Harrier doesn't see it
Lovely to watch the adult feeding the young grebe
Tor view
Whitethroat, the first of the year for us
Keeping a sharp eye overhead
First Hobby of the year at Shapwick
Brilliant to see this beautiful falcon return to the Levels
11 Cattle Egrets flew into the Scrape, how many?!!!
Stocky little Egrets, most un egret like when they walk almost like a chicken
Great White Egret
Chiffchaff - singing his heart out
Great White Egret
Green lores and red legs the Great Egret in breeding plumage
Black tailed Godwits back on the scrape
One of the 2 pairs of Greylag geese plus young on the scrape
Godwits and 3 Dunlin at the very back of the scrape
Proud parents
Protective stance as another couple of geese 'outsiders' flew in
Stay away flap of the wings
Gadwall
Black tailed Godwits in a flutter
At last! A Garden Warbler very high up in the trees but a 'lifer' for us
Garden Warbler, you little beauty!
Brimstone butterfly on Campion in the Ham Wall car park
More Hobbies, at least 20 hunting over the reeds near the bridge at Ham Wall
Reed Warbler, a five second view as it came to the top of the reeds
Gathering nesting material
What a nimble acrobat
We have noticed that there are good numbers of Pochard at Ham Wall this year
Peacock
Still sitting tight, any day now!
Red Admiral
Orange Tip, a beautiful Spring butterfly
In summary a cracking two days on the levels with a total of 56 bird species seen. It is beautiful out there with everywhere coming alive and greening up and the place is just bursting with flora and fauna plus you just can't beat hearing the song of the cuckoo!
Fingers crossed that both eggs hatch
Day 2 - Tuesday
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