For those who haven't been down to Ham Wall and Shapwick since the floods receded from Somerset can someone please say where the "New Hide" is. Is it Ham Wall or Shapwick and is it in a new position or replacing an old one?
Many thanks in anticipation of a visit in the relatively near future.
The new hide, which goes under the rather grandiose name of Torr View Hide, is on Ham Wall RSPB, it is accessed on a new pathway off the board-walk leading to the 3 viewing-screens on Waltons.
Spent a splendid half hour or so in the new hide this evening. Bitterns booming, at least 2 Cuckoo calling, Nightingale singing distantly, probably 2 Great White Egrets flew over and at least 4 Hobby zapping around the marsh and coming within a few metres of the hide. Amazing views! The icing on the cake was a Barn Owl flying along the ditch next to the path back to the car.
I had a superb morning split between Ham Wall and Shapwick. I was the first car in the car park at 6am and could not believe the number of vehicles both in the car park and road when I passed back through the car park around 9:30ish. Anyway highlight at Ham Wall were the Hobbies, but the highlight at Shapwick was a baby Adder crossing the path near the Meare Heath Scrape. This was a first and such an unexpected delight.
20-May-14, Ham Wall.
Adult Common Tern on one of the small rafts off the viewing screens on Walton Heath; 3 flying Bittern sightings, and 6 Hobbies, insecting together over Street Heath wood.
Adders emerge from their winter sleep around early April, and pair up in April/May. Female Adders are ovo-viviparous - the eggs are retained within the body until the young are fully developed. When born the young are often coiled-up tightly in a thin transparent membrane which usually breaks during birth, which happens in August/September. At birth they are 15-20 cm long and are capable of an independent existence. So my guess Robin, is that your small Adder was a young-one, born last year.
