with Stephen Moss Tue 6-Fri 9 November 2012

Transcription

1 Limosa Trip Report Somerset Levels with Stephen Moss Tue 6-Fri 9 November 2012 Bitterns are doing well on the Somerset Levels - we saw three this time, including one very well in flight from the viewing platform at Ham Wall photo kind permission Robin Chittenden, report compiled by tour leader Stephen Moss 1 Limosa Holidays, West End Farmhouse, Chapelfield, Stalham Norfolk NR12 9EJ tel: +44 (0) info@limosaholidays.co.uk

2 Trip Diary Tour Leader: Stephen Moss with Tony Charles, Gill Gregory, Pat Harding, Sue Miles, Rory & Doreen Morrisey, and Wendy Thomson Tue 6 th November As we settled into our hotel for the weekend we hoped that the weather would be kind and the birding exciting. Wednesday 7 th November After an unsettled autumn, November 7 th dawned clear, dry and relatively mild, with a settled forecast until the end of the week. We left our Taunton hotel after breakfast and headed up the M5 and A38 towards the Mendips. En route we saw Buzzard, Collared Dove, Feral Rock Dove and various corvids, and had brief views of a Little Egret and Grey Heron, before reaching Cheddar Reservoir at Cheddar Reservoir is a concrete bowl lying on the flatlands just south of Cheddar Gorge, and a mile or so outside the town. As on our previous visit here, Coots dominated about 2000 of them! Amongst the Coots were Little and Great Crested Grebes, Tufted Duck and Mallard, Cormorants on every buoy, plenty of Black-headed Gulls, a few Common, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and Pied Wagtails flitting around the edge. Ou first surprise came in the shape of a pair of Red-crested Pochards over towards the yacht club, diving for what looked like water weed. The male, with his red bill, orange hairdo and black and white plumage was particularly handsome. We set off on the 2.5-mile walk clockwise around the reservoir perimeter, disturbing plenty of Meadow Pipits, which were feeding on weed seeds along the steep grassy banks. A distant Stock Dove, female Kestrel, singing Wren and Robin, and plenty of Wood Pigeons, were followed by the sight of a flock of several hundred Fieldfares, a few Redwings and a single Mistle Thrush. A narrow rhyne (Somerset word for a dyke) held a single Moorhen and, to our pleasure, a male Kingfisher who gave us brief but excellent scope views before it disappeared. Further around the perimeter we saw a Grey Wagtail near the waterworks, and near the Axbridge car park a Raven flew overhead. A female Goldeneye showed very well, and there was also a flock of about 40 Pochard (mostly males) by the yacht club. Before we left, as the wind strengthened, we had better views of the Red-crested Pochards, before returning to the car park by A brief coffee-stop in Cheddar Town Centre produced no new birds, although we were treated to the sight of a number of Black-headed Gulls being swept along by the current running into the large pool, almost as if they were playing! We then headed back south, stopping off at various places on this northern section of the Somerset Levels to see what we could find. Highlights included a huge flock of Fieldfares (along with a few Redwings and large numbers of Starlings) along Kingsway, just north of the village of Mark (the leader s home patch). Fieldfares were also prominent on Tealham Moor, where we saw two more Kestrels, a small flock of Linnets and plenty of Lapwings, Mute Swans, two Little Egrets and a surprising number of Black-headed Gulls. Nearby Tadham Moor also hosted a large flock of c. 500 Lapwings and up to 1000 Black-headed Gulls on flooded fields. We stopped for lunch in the hide at Catcott Lows, which was unfortunately rather lacking in waterbirds. However we did see a young male Kestrel perched on a pole, and two Sparrowhawks (a female followed by a male) perched at the back of the reserve. Two Snipe also flew overhead. 2 Limosa Holidays

3 At 2.40 we arrived at Ashcott Corner car park, the central hub of the two main reserves on the Levels, Shapwick and Meare Heaths and Ham Wall RSPB. From the car park we saw House Sparrow, Goldfinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker, and had brief views of a Lesser Redpoll. Walking westwards along the old railway line we heard Cetti s Warbler, saw the resident Great White Egret in flight (towards Ham Wall), and several Snipe and Wigeon flying overhead. The Meare Heath pool held 20 Gadwall, a few Wigeon and a pair of sleeping Teal, with a male Marsh Harrier quartering the reedbed on the opposite side. We had brief views of a Common Darter dragonfly (very late!), and at least 20 Snipe. The biggest potential surprise of the day came in the shape of a plump, redwing-sized bird overhead, with a shallow undulating flight, uttering a high-pitched, metallic trilling call which after checking sound recordings on the Internet proved to have been a lone Waxwing one of several sightings over the previous few days in Somerset, indicating a wider invasion of these charismatic birds. Noah s Hide produced a wealth of wildfowl including Wigeon, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot and Great Crested Grebe, and two feral geese: Greylag and Canada. Also, a distant male Marsh Harrier and a Grey Heron. We retraced our steps to enter Ham Wall reserve at 4pm, hearing a Goldcrest and Cetti s Warbler, and seeing several Long-tailed Tits. From the main viewing platform we saw the Great White Egret feeding (and then flying), about 50 Lapwing, a number of Snipe, Wigeon, Shoveler, Mallard, Canada Geese, and six Little Grebes, as well as the first flocks of Starlings (from about 4.10 onwards). Tony then spotted a lone Glossy Ibis, which showed well on the ground and in flight a bird that had been present for about a week but had proved elusive. More flocks of Starlings were flying eastwards, so we headed eastwards towards Glastonbury and the second viewing area. From here we had reasonable views of the Starlings as they headed into the reedbed, but numbers were still well down on peak because of the early date and very mild weather. Compensation came in the form of a female Marsh Harrier, perched Buzzard, and some very noisy Water Rails! As dusk fell (5pm) we headed back to the car park, seeing an unexpected small bat (presumably a Common or Soprano Pipistrelle) along the way. Thursday 8 th November We left the hotel and headed north to the new RSPB reserve at Greylake, just south of the Polden Hills. Although small by modern reserve standards, Greylake has a wide range of micro-habitats including an area of sacrificial crops, which have been allowed to go to seed to provide autumn and winter food for seed-eating birds such as finches and buntings. After another sighting of a Kestrel (much more common than on previous trips) we focused on the crops, where several Chaffinches were feeding along with a small flock of Linnets, Meadow Pipits, a Goldfinch and at least five Reed Buntings, with a Wren hopping about in the scrub in front of us. Then Rory spotted a real prize a splendid pair of Bramblings, a scarce bird in Somerset, and a clear testament to the success of the sacrificial crops! We had excellent views of the Bramblings before heading into the reserve, where a Cetti s Warbler could be heard singing presumably encouraged by the very mild weather. The view from the sumptuous hide was rather disappointing compared with later in the year, but there were nevertheless two Little Egrets, a Wigeon and several hundred distant Lapwings, as well as another (perched) Kestrel giving good views. But it was when we left the hide that things really hotted up: a huge flock of at least 1200, and possibly as many as 1500, Golden Plover flew up from the south, and swirled around for some time. We then returned to the RSPB reserve at Ham Wall, where we met a BBC film crew making a TV programme about the effects of the bizarre weather of 2012 on our wildlife. While they did an interview with our leader, the rest of the group scanned the lagoons from the viewing platform, seeing 3 Limosa Holidays

4 two Great White Egrets (one with two orange rings on the right leg and orange/grey rings on the left, indicating that this was the breeding female ringed as a chick in France in May 2009), two Little Grebes, a Marsh Harrier, lots of Snipe (at least 40, giving great views in flight and on the ground), c. 200 Lapwings, and the usual duck including Teal. We also heard Cetti s Warbler and Water Rail. Best of all, three Bitterns flew over the reedbeds, including a splendid individual who gave us a memorable flypast in beautiful light. We then headed for a short walk around the trail, seeing a splendid male Kingfisher (our second of the trip) along one of the rhynes. The mild weather meant that many small moths were on the wing, and we also saw most of the common songbirds. After a brief and unproductive stop-off at the main railway bridge near Oath, we went to Dewlands Farm, the HQ of RSPB West Sedgemoor. As on previous trips, we had privileged access to this normally closed reserve, in the expert hands of long-term RSPB Volunteer Nigel Smith, along with his colleague Mike Tout and a young volunteer, Dave Laithwaite. They proved to be excellent guides, giving us a brief history of this huge wetland (the RSPB owns 1600 out of about 2500 hectares five square miles), and finding Green Woodpecker and a very pale Buzzard, before leading us down onto the marsh and into the vast hide (formerly a carrot store!) On the marsh itself there were several thousand Lapwings and ducks mainly Wigeon and Shoveler but with at least five splendid male Pintail (which our leader struggled to see!) All these birds attract plenty of predators, and for the next hour or so we were treated to a veritable raptor-fest, with one Peregrine perched against the backdrop of the Stoke St. Gregory church tower, several Buzzards, a Kestrel, three Marsh Harriers one adult female with yellow patches on the shoulders, and two immature birds, one of which had a distinctive broken primary feather a ringtail Hen Harrier, and a stunning young male Sparrowhawk, which sat perched on a post and gave us prolonged views of both sides, before flying off after being harassed by Carrion Crows. Best of all, though, was the flock of 48 Common Cranes, which flew across our field of view in the distance before landing almost out of sight. These included new birds, which have only just left the safety of their pens, and have joined the adults from the past two years releases. On our way back to the RSPB HQ we saw a few Long-tailed Tits, the same or another pale Buzzard, Mistle Thrush, Sparrowhawk and two Ravens overhead, calling. We reached the railway bridge towards dusk at about 4.20, but apart from a distant calling Little Owl and the usual Fieldfares there wasn t much to see, so we called it a day and returned to the hotel. A fine day on three very different RSPB reserves! Friday 9 th November We decided to spend our last day on the north Somerset coast, travelling from Hurlstone Point in the west to Steart in the east, via Stolford/Hinkley Point. The car park at Bossington produced a Great Spotted Woodpecker and very tame Robin, and several Pheasants in the fields alongside the path, but sadly no sign of Dippers along the fast-flowing river (Horner Water). Two Jays, our first for the trip, were in the woods, and several female Bullfinches were in the area towards the point. From Hurlstone Point itself we scanned the view across the sea, with Port Talbot to the north and the Somerset coast and Bristol Channel laid out before us, with the advantage of height (we were a 100 ft or so above sea level). The sea at first appeared empty, but in fact there was a major passage of Gannets, unusual for this time of year. We saw at least 40 (mostly adults, and most heading east, up channel) but seawatchers counted more than 100 that morning a significant number for November. We also saw a small auk on the water, but it surfaced for such a short time that we could not identify it. Compensation came in the form of splendid views of a very close Rock Pipit in a puddle next to our feet on the path! On the way down we saw a male Stonechat and several Dunnocks. We had lunch by the beach at Stolford, as the tide was rising. The beach held several different waders, including Curlew, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, sleeping Bar-tailed Godwits and Redshank, as well as Pintail, Wigeon and Great Black-backed Gull. Farther away were Shelduck and 17 Brent Geese, of 4 Limosa Holidays

5 which 15 were of the Pale-bellied race. Sue spotted two female Scaup offshore, showing their distinctive white face patch and rounded head. On the way to Steart we saw three Little Egrets, and our first mammal of the trip a rabbit! We walked along the path towards the point, as small flocks of Dunlin, Knot and Golden Plover flew around the shoreline, while crows persistently mobbed a Buzzard. As we approached the point we saw a hundred or so Lapwing along with a few Golden Plover from the small hide overlooking the lagoon. We then entered the main hide, looking out over the mouth of the river as it enters Bridgwater Bay. We were more or less spot on high tide (2pm), and as the waters reached their peak we could see clouds of small waders mostly Dunlin swirling around over the water in a better display than the Starlings two days before! On a sandbank there were about 200 Shelduck, Oystercatchers and Cormorants, with Knot on the grassy area behind. As we watched, larger flocks of Dunlin displayed spectacularly around us, while just as we were leaving a fly-past of about 40 Golden Plover saw us off! Stephen Moss ANNOTATED LIST OF BIRDS RECORDED (96 species) Pheasant Phasianus colchicus One heard at Ham Wall; several en route to Bossington and on walk to Hurlstone Point, including two dark males without ring necks. Greylag Goose Anser anser Three at Noah s Lake. Canada Goose Branta canadensis c. 10 at Noah s Lake; c. 10 at Ham Wall. Brent Goose Branta bernicla Two dark-bellied (bernicla) and 15 pale-bellied (hrota) in distance on sea at Stolford. Mute Swan Cygnus olor Very common throughout the levels. Shelduck Tadorna tadorna c. 300 at Steart, mainly on sandbank at high tide. Gadwall Anas strepera Seen at Cheddar Reservoir, Meare Heath and Ham Wall. Wigeon Anas penelope Seen at Greylake, Noah s Lake, Meare Heath, Ham Wall, West Sedgemoor, Stolford and Steart numbers in 100s. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Common, seen at all wetland sites Shoveler Anas clypeata Seen at Meare Heath, Ham Wall and West Sedgemoor. Pintail Anas acuta At least five males and some females at West Sedgemoor; c. 20 at coast at Stolford. Teal Anas crecca Three at Meare Heath, five at Ham Wall. Pochard Aythya ferina c. 40 at Cheddar Reservoir; a few at Noah s Lake. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Seen at Cheddar Reservoir and Ham Wall. Scaup Aythya marila Two females/immatures diving offshore at Stolford. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina Pair at Cheddar Reservoir. 5 Limosa Holidays

6 Goldeneye Bucephala clangula One female close to shore at Cheddar Reservoir. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Seen at Cheddar Reservoir; pair at Ham Wall. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Common at Cheddar Reservoir; also at Noah s Lake. Bittern Botaurus stellaris Three seen (one very well) in flight from viewing platform at Ham Wall. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Singles at various sites throughout. Little Egret Egretta garzetta Up to five seen each day, including three together on way to Steart. Great White Egret Ardea alba Two at Ham Wall, including the breeding female. Also seen in flight at Meare Heath. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus One seen towards dusk from viewing platform at Ham Wall; observed on ground with Lapwings and in flight. Gannet Morus bassanus At least 40, probably more, in small groups off Hurlstone Point, mostly heading up channel east. Mostly adults but at least three immatures. Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Seen at Cheddar Reservoir, Stolford, Steart and Ham Wall/Shapwick & Meare Heaths. Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Singles observed at most sites; perhaps a dozen in all (up on previous trips). Peregrine Falco peregrinus One distant perched bird seen from the hide at West Sedgemoor. Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Good views of male at Meare Heath; male and female at Ham Wall; excellent views in flight and on ground of three (one adult female, two immatures one with broken primary feather) at West Sedgemoor. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus Brief views of a ringtail (female or immature) at West Sedgemoor. Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Two (male and female) perched at Catcott Lows; excellent views of young male perched out in open (and later in flight) at West Sedgemoor; brief views of one in flight at Hurlstone. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Seen at most sites; usually perched. Exceptionally pale individual at West Sedgemoor. Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Heard at Ham Wall and West Sedgemoor. Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Odd birds seen on rhynes throughout. Coot Fulica atra Very common (2000+) at Cheddar reservoir; also seen at Noah s Lake and Ham Wall. Common Crane Grus grus Flock of 48 reintroduced birds (including this year s newly released ones) flew in at West Sedgemoor. Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus A few at Stolford; c. 100 on sandbank at Steart. Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Seen at most wetland sites: flocks of 500+ birds on Tealham and Tadham Moors. Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria Huge flock ( birds) in flight from Greylake (to south); large flocks ( birds) at Steart. Common Snipe Gallingo gallingo Small flocks over Meare Heath; large flock (c. 40 birds) flying and on ground at Ham Wall. 6 Limosa Holidays

7 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica Two or three asleep at Stolford. Curlew Numenius arquata Small flocks at Stolford and Steart. Redshank Tringa totanus 11 on shoreline at Stolford. Turnstone Arenaria interpres c. 20 on shoreline at Stolford; small flocks with Dunlin, etc. at Steart. Knot Calidris canutus Large flock roosting on grassy island at Steart. Dunlin Calidris alpina Large flocks (c. 10,000 altogether) at Steart; also seen along shoreline at Stolford. Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Common at Cheddar Reservoir and elsewhere; c with Lapwings on Tadham Moor. Common Gull Larus canus Common at Cheddar Reservoir. Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus Three along coast at Stolford and Steart. Herring Gull Larus argentatus Common at Cheddar Reservoir; also in fields and at coast. Lesser Black backed Gull Larus fuscus Several at Cheddar Reservoir; also at coast. Feral Rock Dove Columba livia Small flocks around human habitations at several locations. Stock Dove Columba oenas One seen briefly at Cheddar Reservoir. Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Common, seen daily. Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Seen at various sites. Little Owl Athene noctua One heard calling in distance south of Railway bridge at Oath, at dusk. Kingfisher Alcedo atthis One seen briefly along rhyne at Cheddar Reservoir; another seen well along rhyne below viewing platform at Ham Wall. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Several heard and seen in flight at various sites; one seen briefly on tree along path to Hurlstone Point. Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Seen briefly perched at top of tree at West Sedgemoor. Jay Garrulus glandarius Two seen briefly along path to Hurlstone Point. Magpie Pica pica Seen throughout in small numbers. Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Common, seen throughout, often in flocks with other corvids. Rook Corvus frugilegus Common in feeding flocks in fields; also rookeries at Rooksbridge and several other sites en route. Carrion Crow Corvus corone Common in feeding flocks in fields. Raven Corvus corax One over Cheddar Reservoir; two at West Sedgemoor. Coal Tit Periparus ater One seen in hotel car park, Taunton. 7 Limosa Holidays

8 Great Tit Parus major Common in suitable habitat throughout. Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Common in suitable habitat throughout. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Seen en route and at Ham Wall. Skylark Alauda arvensis Heard over the railway bridge at Oath; heard and briefly seen over path to Steart. Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti Individuals singing at Ham Wall, Greylake and Shapwick & Meare Heaths. Goldcrest Regulus regulus Heard and briefly seen at Ham Wall; path to Hurlstone Point. Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Several heard singing; briefly seen at Greylake and Hurlstone Point. Starling Sturnus vulgaris Seen feeding in fields; small roost at Ham Wall. Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus One seen briefly in flight, giving diagnostic high-pitched, metallic trill, over Meare Heath. Blackbird Turdus merula Small numbers in suitable habitat throughout. Fieldfare Turdus pilaris Very common in hedgerows and fields throughout; flock of c with Redwings and Starlings off Kingsway, between Mark and Tarnock. Redwing Turdus iliacus Smaller numbers accompanying Fieldfares in hedgerows throughout. Song Thrush Turdus philomelos One seen en route; another briefly at Steart. Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus One with Fieldares at Cheddar Reservoir; one at West Sedgemoor. Robin Erithacus rubecula A few seen (and some heard singing) throughout. Stonechat Saxicola rubicola One male at Hurlstone. House Sparrow Passer domesticus Small groups near human habitation throughout Dunnock Prunella modularis a few seen, including at Hurlstone Point. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea A male in non-breeding plumage feeding along fast-flowing stream at Cheddar Reservoir. Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii Common throughout. Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis c. 30 feeding on grassy banks of Cheddar Reservoir; also seen and heard at many other sites. Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus One very confiding bird on path at Hurlstone Point. Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Small numbers throughout. Brambling Fringilla montifringilla Pair showing very well by car park at Greylake. Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Small flocks at various sites. Greenfinch Chloris chloris One briefly at Cheddar Reservoir. Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret Singles seen very briefly at Ashcott Corner and Ham Wall. 8 Limosa Holidays

9 Linnet Linnaria cannabina c. 10 feeding in sacrificial crops at Greylake. Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula At least three females/immatures at Hurlstone. Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus Small flock (c. 5 birds) feeding on sacrificial crops at Greylake. MAMMALS Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus One near Steart. Pipistrelle sp. Soprano or Common Pipistrelle seen after dusk at Ashcott Corner (Ham Wall entrance). 9 Limosa Holidays