Westhay 5/2 Dancing Grebes

A bright and very cold day for our jaunt to Westhay. Starting at Viridor hide we had a great but quick view of a Snipe swimming by, you don't often see that! A few Gadwall around but not much else.  On towards the tower hide from where we spotted a Marsh Harrier low over the reeds. Walking on Ann spotted a lovely male Sparrowhawk glaring from the trees.

The lake opposite the new North hide had just 2 Goosander, a few Pintail and several Shoveler, Teal and a single Great White Egret.

Settling into North hide for coffee we noticed a pair of Great Crested Grebes appear from a channel and head for what looked like a nest. We kept an eye on this pair as they called to each other and flicked their heads.  Would they dance? Patience paid off and a beautiful 'Grebe Dance' was performed in front of us followed by mating at the nest a couple of minutes later.

4 Cattle Egrets flew over whilst we were watching the Grebes and a stunning male Marsh Harrier hunted over the reeds.

A Kingfisher was seen from the screen further up the path and at the farm at the end of the Drove several Little Egrets mooched around the cattle. Several Fieldfares and Redwings in the fields around Westhay, I guess these will be heading back east soon. 

There didn't seem to be plenty of birds around Westhay today but enjoying some top moments with nature and the walk around the reserve was a tonic for the soul! 

    From Viridor hide a Snipe swims swiftly by ....

                

    Restless Gadwall

               

   Marsh Harrier from the tower hide 

               

   Sparrowhawk within the dense trees

               

   

                

                  Snowdrops, now Spring is really on the way

   Checking out the nest, a Great crested Grebe

               

                   An invite?

               

                   Plenty of head flicking going on

               

   Crests on show

               

               

                  Suddenly 4 Cattle Egrets flew overhead

        

          Will they dance?

               

   And they danced .... Wow! 

               

                

                

                

               

   Coots getting aggressive

                

               

                  After the dance ....... 

               

               

   Job done the male appears to walk over the female!

               

               

   Fieldfare, one of many plus Redwings in the fields around Weshay

Shapwick & Ham Wall - Somerset Levels 23/3/16

A frosty but sunny early morning start for our visit to our local reserves of Shapwick and Ham Wall.  Our aim was to spend some time at Noah's hide hoping to catch a glimpse of some Otters that had been seen on Noah's Lake.  Unfortunately after a good hour or so we did not see any. We did however on our way to Noah's see our first ever Mink bounding along in the bracken.  From the hide itself we had a superb view of a Bittern fly past in front of the hide as well as listening to them booming around us.  There were at least 3 pairs of Great Crested Grebes on the lake head flicking and we saw one pair 'dance' if a little distant.  A kingfisher whizzed past a few times and was seen fishing from the trees in the lake.  Sand Martins were seen at the back of the lake skimming low over the water.

From the main path we had a great view of a circling Sparrowhawk getting ever higher in the sky.

On to Ham Wall where we virtually bumped into another Mink as it came out of the water onto the grass and sloped off into a woodpile.  Can't believe we would see 2 Mink in one day, beautiful animals.

There are still a few winter ducks to be seen as well as Great White Egrets and the coming and goings of the nesting Herons.

Highlights of the day had to be the Bittern, Kingfisher, Snipe,Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff, Sand Martin, Great Egret, and Mink.

Bittern fly past

                

                   Almost gliding

                

                    Beautiful tones in the sun

I bring weed - Great Crested Grebes

               

   The Grebes start to dance lifting out of the water

A brief dance and it's back to the head flicking

            

               

                   Kingfisher hunting from the stumps on Noah's Lake

   Dive, dive!

               

                  No fish this time - back to the perch

               

Chiffchaff singing from the willow

                

   Sparrowhawk way up high - often seen at Shapwick

               

  Look at that eye!

   Sparrowhawk - beautiful bird, great hunter 

               

                   Kestrel at Ham Wall car park 

  Mink - friend or foe a beautiful creature

               

                   Mink in the woodpile

   Tufted Duck 

                

                    Snipe at Ham Wall - fantastic camouflage