There is only a RIVER WARBLER at Ham Wall

Unbelievable a singing River Warbler

River Warbler enjoying Somerset sun

River Warbler

Great White Egret

Bittern over head

 Twitchers line up

River Warbler video footage

 

I was on a video/ photo shoot on Friday afternoon when news broke of a River Warbler at RSPB Ham Wall. Four missed calls and multiple texts asking where I was, pick up, MEGA in Somerset. Oh well, reaching Somerset on a Friday evening would be impossible so I decided to wake up at 5am and check for early news. The tactic worked as news broke the rare Warbler, first in mainland for 10 years, had stuck and was singing again in same area. The car and flask were ready to go and I was off down the M5 to beat any holiday or Weston day trippers. The journey only took just over two hours and the car park still had plenty of spaces.

The walk to the bird was around ten minutes however you couldn't miss its loud reeling as soon as you crossed the bridge. This eastern / central Europe breeding warbler was showing unbelievably well just 50 metres off the main path. All that amazing habitat and it chose that space, it was a real treat for a large crowd that mostly hadn't seen the species before. You can never second guess with this hobby what species you are going to see next. This was my 7th lifer of the year, two more than the same stage last year.

Other sightings included 2 Bittern, 5/6 Great White Egret, Barn Owl, Hobby, Garden Warbler & Bearded Tit.  To read the finders report click here.

 

Ham Wall on very warm afternoon

When we arrived at Ham Wall it felt like it was the middle of August with very few birds moving around the reserve. The most common bird was the Marsh Harrier that gave us some cracking views and there was a single Great White Egret from the second viewing platform. The Hobbies were buzzing around over head catching a few of the plentiful dragonfly population. With drinks running low and it getting hotter by the minute we headed back to the car for our depature back up the M5.

Spring break (Day 1) - RSPB Ham Wall

Ten days off work in May meant it was that time of year to head south to spend a few days with my parents using Lyme Regis as the usual base. Previous years I've gone direct to Portland so to mix things up I headed to RSPB Ham Wall.

At this time of year the reserve can be seen at its absolute best. Before leaving the car park Swifts were soaring overhead and a Cuckoo was calling high on some dead trees.

I saw and heard Garden Warblers in three seperate locations as I headed towards the Avalon hide. The hide was full of photographers so I had to wait a while to get a good viewing position. Two Bitterns emerged flying very high but struggled with it being so windy. As they beat their wings they just didn't make any progress, in the end they gave up and landed distantly. 

There were many sighting of Great White & Little Egrets but apparently the breeding Cattle Egrets had not been seen since the very cold weather.

As the weather warmed up a number of Hobby's emerged, a couple at first then I reached three within the same scope view. 

With the water levels very high I walked through to Shapwick Heath, where remarkably I found some passage waders. A Greenshank, 2 Ringed Plover & a Little Ringed Plover were all on the first lagoon. 

Satisfied with a good morning I headed out towards Glastonbury Tor on the way further south.

Ham Wall winter feast

Ferruginous Duck

Following the Pochards

Great White Egret

Pintail

Bitterm (Back end only)

Marsh Harrier

Kingfisher

The Tor

Little Egrets

I teamed up with Chris Lane for a trip down to the RSPB Ham Wall to enjoy their seasonal feast of delights. Ham Wall is 2.5 miles west of Glastonbury in the valley of the River Brue or better known as the Somerset Levels.

Ham Wall is a nature reserve of the highest quality and is made up of rustling reed beds and glinting open water. The Starling roosts of over 750,000 birds are the star attraction for many visitors however we planned a busy day staring early.

The car park has improved considerably since I first visited a number of years ago & the toilets were a welcome sight to visitors of a certain age.

Our first star species was a Glossy Ibis that I picked up flying over us, first of a couple of sightings throughout the morning. This was quickly followed up by a Great White Egret viewed from the !st viewing platform. These Egrets first bred in the UK back in 2012 at near by Shapwick Heath and are not difficult to miss. We recorded three in total during the session.

Cetti's Warblers were calling along many of the paths and we got some fantastic views watching one creep along the bottom of the reed bed. Huge numbers of Snipe were flying in all directions, impossible to put a number of how many must be there. Chris caught a Kingfisher in flight which we refound later sat perched hoping for an early lunch. Water Rails could be heard screaming from a number of spots but we didn't see any in the open. 

At the Avalon hide we found the visiting Ferruginous Duck with a group of Pochard. This dark chestnut duck from the east really stood out as a stunning individual in the sunshine. Marsh Harriers were visible in flight whilst another was perched resting on the waters edge.

As we scanned the reed beds a fantastic Bittern wandered across one of the channels leaving me scrambling for my camera which I just caught his back end. From there I watched him creep along the reeds feeding before disappearing further back into the reed bed.

Other highlight species recorded were a male Stonechat, 4 Pintail, Shoveler, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Lapwing & Wigeon. A throughly enjoyable morning.

Collared Pratincole delights crowds at Ham Wall

 Collared Pratincole (Griffin Wildlife)

 Distant Bitter

 Great White Egret

 Platform two

 The lookout from the platform

 Marsh Harrier

 Camo-man

Suit-man

How are good birds found on a Sunday night ? When a Collared Pratincole was reported at Ham Wall (Somerset) time was always against a late evening visit. After being reported on Monday myself & Roland decided to take a half day on Tuesday and head down after lunch (Roland had to ensure the fish was in the fridge before leaving home apparently). A smooth journey listening to bell ringing stories & the band British Sea Power set us up for walk to the second viewing platform.

Crossing the canal we recorded our first two (of a possible nine) Great White Egrets. Any visitor to this stunning reserve would do well to miss this species now. The Pratincole had been reported showing very well however we had to wait a good hour to get a flight view before it disappeared again behind the reeds.

The bird is well worth a visit as they are a rely seen this side of the country. The bird clearly showed it was a very agile and fluent flier whilst it's tern like shape catches the eye but clearly with longer wings & legs. Chris Griffin of Griffin Wildlife kindly send me the above photo to use where you can see the birds features in more detail. This species was only the second recorded in Somerset, the last being in 1858

As we were waiting there were a selection of other birders to keep us amused including camo-man (a tog who went in and out of focus with his super camafluged clothing), suit-man (clearly the best dressed birder in Somerset) and nice man (who joined in our bantering observations).

Other sightings included a Hobby that hawked above us and three flying Bittern and two Glossy Ibis’s.

Many thanks to Chris Griffin of Griffin Wildlife for his fantastic image. 

Ham Wall Dusky Warbler is early Christmas present

 Early morning steak out

Show time

Dusky Warbler (Thanks to Matt Scott)

 New Avalon Hide

 New Avalon Hide

Distant Marsh Harrier

 Glastonbury Tor

Dusky Bench

Would I risk the M5 three days before Christmas ? After a helpful tweet from Matt Scott I decided to risk it as he said the traffic around Cribbs Causeway was actually ok given the time of year.

The new toilets were a welcome find on the car park before heading up the main path. After passing the first viewing platform you turn left over a bridge then right up a muddy patch. When you have reached the turning for the new hide carry straight on for another 100 yards where you will see the pictured bench. If you reach this far you would have found other birders. 

I hadn't seen a Dusky Warbler before however reports are always of skulking birds that are difficult to see. It certainly started that way as I didn't see anything except a Wren in the first 75 minutes. The original dozen birders increased to around thirty when the bird started calling and could then be located. The Warbler worked it's way through the habitat just over the waters edge giving some great views at times but you did have to contend with odd blocked view by tree stumps or long grass. The supercillium was quite striking whilst I made sure I got a good view of the lighter longer coloured legs. Dusky Warblers breed in Siberia in bogs and is a rare autumn vagrant to the UK.

With a skip in my stride I went up a very muddy patch to take a look at the new two storey Avalon hide. The hide is centrally located of the reed beds and allows spectacular views of the reserve but also Glastonbury Tor. Sightings included a number of Marsh Harriers, Bittern, Common Buzzard, two Great White Egret, Wigeon & Shoveler. 

Ham Wall Delights

 Bittern 

  Bittern - This is how you see most of them at Ham Wall

 Landing gear out

 Habitat as you enter reserve

 Reed Bunting

Glastonbury Tor over looks the reserve

A very distant Hobby

After looking at a good weather forecast I opted to take a day off from work midweek to make my May trip to RSPB Ham Wall in Somerset. Despite there being areas of road works I was parked up in under two hours. The reserve can take a bit of finding if you haven’t been before but I had no such problems.

The first of many number of Cetis Warblers called as I put on the walking boots and headed up the path to the reed beds. I could hear the booming Bitterns approaching the first viewing platform and it didn’t take long until I was treated with the first of three different birds I saw during the morning. Before carrying on my walk a Great White Egret emerged at the edge of the water to make it a memorable start to the day.

A number of Marsh Harries including a stunning male was in sight at the second viewing platform. Round me there was constant noise of Reed & Sedge Warblers enjoying the warmth of the morning sun. I was hoping a Garganey might be around but sadly no luck. The Bitterns continued to boom.

As I headed back down the path towards the reed bed where the Little Bitterns were last year a Hobby flew straight over my head looking for an early breakfast, I watched it closely hunt before I saw it later in the morning very high with another Hobby. There were plenty of dragon flies around the reserve and it was really the first place I’ve noticed them in numbers this summer. I did hang around to see if any Little Bitterns were around but I didn’t hear or see any. The lack of the RSPB volunteers probably gave indication to my findings. The final bird at Ham Wall was a male Cuckoo.

As I entered the Shapwick Heath reserve the bird song increased again and a Garden Warbler was on view along side Blackcaps and the common warblers.  On the first flash there was a flock of Black-Tailed Godwits and two Little Egrets. Over head Marsh Harriers continued to hunt to please an increasing crowd of watchers who must have been on an organised trip as when I got back the car park it was full and any new arrivals were having to park on road causing much frustration to the local farmer.

Both Hobby and Bittern were new birds for the year. It must be the best place in the county to get to see Bitterns flying around.