Levels-birder

September 27th 2008

I was just putting the finishing touches to my new website, detailing my recent trip to South Africa’s Western Cape, when I received a phone call from Alan Bundy (thanks Alan) to say that Geoff Pudney had told him of a juvenile Red-backed Shrike that he had found today on Mark Moor. With my computer switched to standby, Kay and I were soon on our way and reached the site just 20 minutes later where we met up with Alan and several others. In the misty, early-afternoon light I was able to take these photos of this great looking bird…

 

 

 

To see my trip report from South Africa, click on this link http://freewebs.com/levelsbirder-at-the-cape

 

September 26th 2008

Since my previous diary entry, I’ve been spending some time at my favourite local sites: Meare Heath drained pool and Noah’s Lake hide at Shapwick Heath NNR. The drained pool has continued to attract waders, and I’ve constantly seen a large flock of Black-tailed Godwits that peaked at 230. Also, up to 8 Knot, 3 juvenile Little Stints, Dunlin, Ruff, as many as 84 Snipe, a Spotted Redshank (unusual here), Greenshank, Green Sandpipers and a Wood Sandpiper. Three Cattle Egrets have been casual visitors, sometimes perching in the dead trees on Noah’s Lake. I’ve had several views of three different Marsh Harriers – an adult female and two different juveniles, and the Otters have been putting in fairly regular appearances. A large dog Otter that fishes in the deeper channel of Meare Heath pool has amused us with his impersonation of a Californian Sea-Otter, lying on his back with all four feet sticking up out of the water while he eats a large swan mussel or a biggish fish! I’ve also seen four other Otters, a lone adult, presumably a female in Meare heath Pool, and another adult female together with her two, almost full-grown, cubs in Noah’s Lake.

 

 

                 Ruff - Meare Heath pool                                     Two, almost full grown Otter cubs

 

On the 20th, I joined the Somerset Orn. Society’s field trip to Berrow Beach; where the highlights were 2 Mediterranean Gulls, a Little Gull, and a flock of Sanderling. On the 24th I went to Torr Works Reservoir in the east of the County and was lucky to see a 2nd winter Caspian Gull that was coming in to roost among several thousand gulls. The following afternoon, Kay and I took a short stroll along the Huntspill Seawall and, with patience, I eventually took these photos of this smart-looking Wheatear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My once-a-month butterfly count on Ham Wall RSPB Reserve wasn’t going very well, that is until I suddenly chanced upon this cute little Roe Deer fawn that had strayed from its mum’s side. This gave me the chance to take these shots before ‘mum’ noticed me, and with a terse alarm called her fawn to her and they swiftly disappeared into the nearest cover.

 

 

 

 

 

September 19th 2008

 

Incredible as it may sound, at 11:30 this morning Kay and I were standing in Ashcott Corner car park, at Shapwick Heath, talking to Brian and Beryl Slade and to John Ingram about the recent phenomenal southerly passage of Honey Buzzards along the English East Coast, when I suddenly noticed a Honey Buzzard slowly rise up above the near highest tree line! Presumably the bird’s southerly migration had been held up overnight and it had been waiting for the sun to lift the morning mist and for a thermal to form before getting underway? As we watched it slowly circled just above the tree tops, very slowly gaining height, and then eventually drifted away to the south. After watching it for a while I suddenly remembered my camera and grabbed these very distant flight shots as it went further away. They’re much enlarged, but they do show some of its distinctive features: Its small, protruding, pigeon-like head; long, round-ended tail, and long, ample wings with bulging secondaries, pinched in at the body, forming a very noticeable curve to the trailing wing shape.

 

 

 

 

 

September 17th 2008

 

An old birding-friend and his wife from West Middlesex called in for the day on their way down to Cornwall, and Kay and I took them birding to Catcott Lows and Shapwick Heath Reserves. No sign of any Cattle Egrets at Catcott, but we struck lucky at Shapwick Heath when we saw these two Pectoral Sandpipers on Meare Heath drained pool. Also present, among the commoner waders, was a Juvenile Little Stint, but we couldn’t find the Curlew Sandpiper that I saw here yesterday. Later, at Noah’s Lake, a Bittern flew across, close to the hide, and we had views of a juvenile Black Tern and an Otter. Then, to finish the day, we saw two Cattle Egrets, distantly among cattle, behind Meare Village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend Peter Gasson took this record shot of the two Pectoral Sandpipers in this morning’s very poor light, using his Canon 500mm f4.5 lens and 1.4x converter.

 

 

 

 

September 15th 2008

Since returning from my trip to South Africa’s Western Cape I’ve been to Shapwick Heath NNR and Catcott Lows Reserve several times and seen a few good birds: A lingering Osprey most days, watching it catch several fish; up to 3 Marsh Harriers together; several Hobbies; a single Bittern; up to 165 Black-tailed Godwits and 7 Ruff; a few each of Black, Common and Arctic Terns; and a family party of Cattle Egrets (2 adults and a juvenile) at Catcott Lows this morning. On the 11th I had an unsuccessful trip to Minehead, not seeing the Wryneck that was present despite a three hour search. This afternoon my luck changed, and together with fellow birder Ash Warne I finally caught up with this Wryneck at Kingston Seymour in North Somerset – the first bird to come close enough to photograph since my return.