Slightly belated post from Wednesday.

2 Female Marsh Harriers low over the reeds

A Tern passing right in front of the hide at Ham Wall (the new one, forgot its name!)

Brief view of a flying Bittern

2 Great White Egrets

Damselfly scoffing an aphid :-)

Pic on the site.

Six G.W. Egrets ;4 Green S'Pipers and 150 Lapwing from VP2 on Ham Wall this morning where lowering the water level has exposed some mud!
The Common Tern young are now taking short exploratory flights and bathing! which is a bit heart stopping when seen for the first time! They may well really fledge in the next few days.

The Common Tern young can be considered as successfully fledged as the whole family were ensconced on one of the rafts in front of the blinds on Walton East this morning and still there at 1500hrs. A couple of Bitterns and several Marsh Harriers were also seen in flight.

Two Garganey visible from the second viewpoint at Ham Wall this morning, but often disappearing behind the vegetation.

1 juvenile cuckoo in front of 1vp this morning
1 garganey & 1 eclipse wigeon in front of 2vp

Single Bittern flying over the track yesterday.

Also 1 GWE and 1 Marsh harrier.

4 GWE, 2 Hobby and 3 Marsh Harrier from 2VP this morning. Also 8+ Buzzards and 2 Ravens distantly to the North.

2 Green and 1 Wood Sandpiper appeared to go down on the North of the reserve at midday (viewed from 1VP). 2 Hobby and 1 Peregrine were overhead. 1 adult Common Tern was on Waltons, the other adult and 2 juvs were on Noah's earlier.

Intially 4 G.W.Egrets from VP2 on Ham Wall joined by 3 more mid morning; moved by contractors reed cutting machines leaving VP1 area supplemented by a low flying Merlin (of Augusta Westland manufacture)! 3 juvs and 4 adults including the two well known ringed birds of 2009 vintage. Again no small waders seen but I did see 8 Snipe from VP2 Tueday a.m. Terns were on Loxton's earlier but transferred to Noah's a.m as they have been doing for the last week. Juv Marsh Harrier seen and an eclipsed Garganey courtesy of Chris Newman.

i watched a GWE on thursday at the second viewing platform struggle to swallow a large perch. The fish had it,s dorsal fin erect the whole time making it very tricky for the Egret to get it down. Five minutes later after nearly loosing the fish a couple of times the fish disappeared down that long white neck.

The Common Tern family of four were fishing off VP2 on Ham Wall this morning. One Blk Tld. G'Wit and one Snipe plus 20 Lapwing were the only waders seen. Two G.W. Egrets and four Little Egret, one Raven, 100+ House Martins with a few Swallows and 20+ Swifts were also passing over.

Four Common Terns off VP2 this Fri afternoon, one Garganey seen plus 2 G.W. Egrets. Very Little exposed mud visible

17-Aug-14 (2nd VP)
Osprey flew in from the east (Glastonbury Heath pools?) at 12:55 and stayed around for 10 mins before slowly moving off westward towards Meare Heath.
Also, single Bittern and Great White Egret and 3 Common Terns (2 juvs). Earlier this morning a single LRP had been seen, but was not visible from the 2VP.

Family party of 4 or 5 Spotted Flycatchers in tall trees edging Street Heath, along the main track east of 2VP.

I saw the LRP from the 2VP at about 3pm, on a muddy island way off to the left amongst the moulting ducks.

Very windy, so limited birding. Around VP2, juvenile common tern seen clearly, though 3 (possibly 4) terns in the distance were probably the family. 3 swifts seen, and 25 lapwings at VP2.