Shapwick Heath / Ham Wall - 2 May 2013 (early to mid-afternoon)
23-25 Hobbies - generally insecting quite high up today due to the warm and sunny weather conditions.
2 Peregrine (adult female and male, age undetermined) - located the female soaring quite low above Ham Wall. She soared around for almost 15 minutes, gradually rising up very high without any wing-flapping. She began moving West at high altitude. Suddenly, a male appeared from much higher up. He dived down, bombed her and after short squabble they raced away very fast together.
4+ Marsh Harrier (two males and two females) - soaring around with up to three interacting in the air together.
1 Sparrowhawk (probably female) - soared up and then moved Northwards.
55+ Common Buzzard - hawks visible soaring in all directions throughout the afternoon, mostly in pairs and small groups of up to 8 birds. However, 18 were seen soaring in a single kettle. And, about an hour later in same area, 38 were observed kettling in two adjacent and intermingling stacks. They all seemed to be local hawks (not migrants) because the group gradually broke up with pairs seen drifting off and displaying.
Also:
2 Bearded Reedling (both adult males) - 'pinging' and perched on reeds adjacent to the Main Track (on the Meare Heath side) about 75m West of the footbridge to the Hide.
70+ Common Swift - insecting high above both sites.
40+ Barn Swallow - moving NW in small groups. 1 Great White Egret - flying above Noah's Lake.
2 Raven
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Reed Bunting
3 Cuckoo - one seen and two others heard.
2 Garden Warbler
3 Cetti's Warbler
3 Whitethroat
6 Little Egret
8 Grey Heron
