Somerset Bird News
The "Scrape" is now drained! Front bank has been topped but there is still some tall vegetation obscuring the view of the near (front) edge of the well weeded up island.
Today Thurs. 4 G.W.Egrets and a max count of 48 Little Egrets and a Green S'Piper plus 4 Snipe. Duck included Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Shoveller and 1 Wigeon. A Water Rail showed briefly as did a couple of Kingfishers
22-Aug-14 (an hour each side of mid-day)
Single Green Sandpiper, at least 3 Great White Egrets (9 seen on Noah's Lake earlier this morning, 14 Little Egrets, fly-in Bittern and an adult Water Rail playing hide-and-seek along the reedy edge towards the back of the scrape.
Nat. England are to be congratulated for their speedy action in completing the bank clearance in front of the Scrape,they have removed the tall weed growth on the sloping part of the bank and if anything turns up it will be our fault if we don't pick it up!. Enforced gardening today meant that I couldn't make a visit until this (Fri) evening. Much as yesterday (see Jeff's note above) with 6 G.W. Egrets at 2000 hrs. pre roost gathering.
The Osprey is still on Noah's as was the Black Swan plus 65 Cormorant and a dozen Little Egrets.
2 blackwits dropped into the scape to join the lapwings and single green sand yesterday early afternoon.
on the scrape this morning were
3 green sandpipers.
4 snipe
100+ lapwing
1 water rail
2 turnstone
osprey still on noahs + 1 hobby
4 common buzzards
also 1 cow in south drain fire brigade trying to get it out
24-Aug-14 (mid-morning)
5 Green Sandpipers, 2 Ringed Plovers (ad & juv), 4 Snipe, 2 Grt W Egrets, 2 juv Marsh Harriers, a female Sparrowhawk (flew thro' to east), 1, probably 2, juv Water Rails, and a Kingfisher. A Greenshank was seen earlier but flew off before I arrived.
Osprey still present on Noah's Lake and a distant Hobby over the Roughet.
Two Black tailed Godwit to add to Jeff's list at 7.30pm yesterday.
26-Aug-14 (late morning)
4 Dunlin were new, also 4 Green Sandpipers, 2 Black-t Godwits, 3 Snipe and 3 showy Water Rails - an adult & 2 juvs. A juv Marsh Harrier flew over 70-Acre.
On Noah's Lake, the Osprey still present, and a single Hobby perched in dead trees along western side of the Lake. 3 very vocal Greenshank were flying about as I arrived but they soon rose up and departed eastward (towards Ham Wall?). Also a single Bittern in flight and a Great White Egret.
Slight improvement on the wader front this morning, newly arrived were 5 Ruff; plus the previously occurring species, 4 Green S'Pipers; 4 Dunlin; 2 Blk Tld. G'Wits; 5 Snipe ( probably more); 100 or so Lapwing; with 5 G.W. Egrets including the two French ringed siblings with 5 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons. Duck included 2 Wigeon; Shoveller, Gadwall, Mallard and Teal.
Waderfest continued this afternoon, with 2 Curlew Sandpipers (my first for the site), 4 Dunlin, 4 Ruff, 2-3 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Snipe, Green Sandpiper and several Dunlin... Also 10 swifts, several Sand Martins, 1-2 Hobbies, 3 Marsh Harriers and a Kestrel overhead on way back to Visitor Centre...
Pleased that someone else made them Curlew Sands. I was there at 7.15 this evening when the light was very poor but they looked like CS to me.
Anyone with any records, Jeff H maybe, who could tell me when there was a Single Curlew Sandpiper there, maybe 2006??
Guess there might have been others in between?
I have noted them on my spreadsheet in 4 of the last 5 years in the county but would have to rely on Brian Gibbs for the exact locations. All records were in August or September.
The curlew sands were still there this morning, both looked like adults with a tinge of breeding colour still on them. Also 2 ruff, at least 6 green sands, 2 blackwits, several dunlin and snipe, and 7 GW egrets. Osprey still on Noah's.
I made it 5 Ruff and 5 Dunlin in addition to those mentioned above. Also a Common tern and a Greenshank fly-over at Noah's.
28-Aug-14
I'll let Alan give his usual summary of today's birds. Suffice to say the 2 adult Curlew Sandpipers were still present this afternoon at 15:00 hrs.
In answer to John's question: there was a single Curlew Sandpiper on Meare Heath scrape last year (2013) between 26-Aug and 1-Sep.
Just found my annual reports which are now back on the shelf following a spell in storage due to building work;
To answer my own question, August/September 2005.
2 Curlew Sandpipers (still showing a little summer colour) were still present at 1630, plus 7 Ruff, 4 Dunlin, 3 Green Sandpipers,2 Black Tld. G'Wits and 7 Snipe. 2 Juv. Commomn Terns dropped in mid morning then moved to Noah's but returned by 1530. Before I arrived there had been 8 G.W.Egrets present but just the pale green ringed bird had arrived late afternoon, the usual half dozen Little Egrets were in attendance all day as were around 160 Lapwing (counted a.m. by C. Newman)!
Waders were the same as yesterday until 1420'ish when a Curlew flew in from the north but it continued southwards after 25 minutes having had a preen. (
Osprey was stll on Noah's Lake at 1330).
Hi Alan,
Good to meet you earlier. A 4th Green Sandpiper was on the scrape, LHS, separate from the 3 near the back.
No sign of the GWE when I left.
Presumably the same Curlew flew back a bit later.
Best Wishes
John
Also a Hobby there at about 3.30 this afternoon and a nice mixed flock of c200 Martins, roughly half Sand and half House. 7 Swift with the Martins and 2 Great White Egrets on Noah's.
Could not locate the Curlew Sands today!
Dunlin 3; Ruff 7; Greensands 2; Blk Tld. G'Wits 3; Snipe 6, Lapwing 40; plus 4 G.W.Egrets at mid day, 4 Litttle Egrets and one Grey Heron. Water Rail visible intermittently at the base of the reeds on LHS of the rear island. One Wigeon with the ducks that are mostly Gadwall with a few Teal, Shoveller and Mallard The Osprey was still on Noah's Lake at 1500hrs..
Very similar list this morning plus a Hobby that flew across the scrape at 09.00
2-Sep-14 (afternoon)
Yes, much the same as Alan's posting yesterday, except that after a frantic fly-around by all the birds, put up by a NE vehicle convoy, there where 8 Ruff.
The Osprey was still present on Noah's Lake to at least 16:30 hrs. Also, from Noah's Hide: 2 juv Marsh Harriers, a Water Rail, and 2 Kingfishers in hot pursuit.
Increase in Blk Tld. G'Wits today to 29,A futher?? flock of 30 more flew over Noah's Hide (where the Osprey stiil resides) heading east but did not land on the scrape.
Other waders were 8 Ruff ;3 Greensands with a few scattered Snipe, a single Dunlin and 50 Lapwing. All stayed glued to the deck when a Peregrine on two separate occasions tried hard to lift birds this afternoon. New for the Wildfowl today was a Pintail and the Wigeon nos. had risen to 12 this morning.
16 Knot on the 'Scrape' today including a couple showing mildly pink plumage! Blk Wits increased from 70 this morning to top side of 120 by 1440 this afternoon: Green Sands 4; Ruff just one! Water Rail occasionally visible at the rear L.H. side with a couple of flyby Kingfishers and Marsh Harriers. Wigeon nos. increasing daily. Osprey still on Noah's!a 3wks presence it arrived on 14th. Aug.
175 Blk Wits present this morning as counted by a reportable rarity, namely, Mr. Mark Jackson paying a welcome return to Somerset!
Ruff 2; Green Sands 2; Dunlin 2; a.m there were 4 Knot joined by another 16 at 1400 making 20 in total; Duck and Egrets were as previous posts this week.
The Osprey disappeared from Noah's Lake around 1100 and was still absent at 1300.
80 blk god wits 3 greensandepipers 1 ruff 2 dunlin 14 knot flew over the scrape a goshawk was also reported late new for sat On noah,s lake sledge warbler hobby and kingfisher
Plenty of birds on the scrape at 18.00 today. 4 Green Sandpiper, 4 Ruff, 2 Little Stint, 2 Dunlin, 200+ Blackwit, some Knot, 8 Snipe, 4 GWE, a Garganey, some Wigeon getting back to full plumage and the usual other ducks. A Pergrine flew low across the scrape but didn't catch any prey and as I was returning along the railway line, an Otter emerged from the drain and ran along the path for at least 200 yards.
hello Jeff
Yes, he is
Also 2 green sandpipers still at the back of the scrape yesterday afternoon and several snipe, but between 3 and 4.30 pm the knot departed westwards in 2 separate large flocks, followed by a third departure of a few remaining stragglers. Presumably all heading out to the estuary? Will be interesting to know whether there are any knot back there today.
No Knot visible this morning. Plenty of passerine activity between the car park and Meare Heath including 2 Spotted Flycatchers and many willow Warblers.
A small flock of Knot flew in a little later accompanied by a single Little Stint.
There was at least one Green Sandpiper around the rear margin of the scrape and two Snipe feeding in open water.
Also a group of five Bearded Reedlings flitting about and calling in the reeds between the car park and the scrape.
Other highlights single Bittern flight, three GWE together on Noahs and two Kingfishers.
Thanks for pointing us towards the flycatchers!
At least 40 Knot present mid afternoon along with 2 Little Stint, 1 Dunlin, 7 Ruff, 1 Green Sandpiper & the 'usual' Blackwit flock. 1 GWE & a Water Rail.
This morning 220 black T godwits 90 knot, 2 little stints 2 dunlins 3 ruff 1 green sandpiper 1 great white erget and marsh harrier over the back
On Noahs lake hobby great white and a kingfisher in front of the hide for 45 mins giveing stunning views
No sign of the Little Stints or Dunlin today otherwise wader totals mush as Colin's report yesterday: 220 Blk. Wits. 100 Knot; 1 Greensand and 5 Ruff with 50 or so Lapwing and at least a dozen Snipe showing well along the back edge out in the water feeding. Orange over Pistachio ringed G.W.Egret with 4 Little Egrets in the late morning.
the 2 dunlin and 2 little stint present late evening along with 11 ruff.
the ruff tend to flit between here and Ham Wall, whereas the blackwits and knot (none this eve) appear to roost somewhere over Decoy lake direction.
4 hobby's yesterday.
Only one little Stint this morning but a suspected Curlew Sand was later confirmed after sizing it up close to two Dunlin plus a couple of hrs. waiting to see it's white rump!
9 Ruff with similar nos of Godwit and Knot and Snipe to yesterday, single Greensand still present, both the G'wit and Knot flew in from a S.W. direction circa 0830 it would be interesting to know where they are coming from ?
No sign of the Stint since Thursday last (18th.). Curlew Sand still present as is one Dunlin and one Green Sand. 12 Knot were around this morning but flew off west at midday. 5 Ruff plus 120 Blk Wits and a dozen Snipe and 50 or so Lapwing make up the wader presence. All in all no change since last week. Bearded Tits on reeded lagoon prior to the scrape and 3 on 70 Acres this morning
Knot eventually numbered around 100 and Blk Wits 150+ by lunchtime today with only one Dunlin and 3 Ruff plus the Curlew Sand present.
The large wader flock of Knot and G'Wits were twice attacked at low level by a big brown hopeful Sparrowhawk emerging from the wood, while they were standing in the shallows but it failed to connect on either occassion.
Yesterday morning a single Redshank paid a 5 min. visit then flew off S.W. first I've noted here this autumn I think.
Around 4pm yesterday a flyover peregrine carrying a small prey item sent most of the 75 or so knot on their way, leaving only half a dozen or so, but we eventually counted 5 ruff altogether on the scrape and an unringed GWE also dropped in briefly.
Fewer waders and more ducks on the Scrape: still 2 Ruffs and 5 Black-tailed Godwits and one each of the egrets. Ham Wall rather more productive, with Kingfisher, 2 Marsh Harriers, several Bearded Tits and a splendid Water Rail right by the new Tor View Hide.
After yesterday's poor wader numbers there were approx 230 Blk.Tld. G.Wits and around 25 Knot present this morning, difficult to be accurate as the G'Wits were mostly in 2 tight clumps with the Knot as usual hidden among them and standing shoulder to shoulder!
There were also 5 or 6 Ruff including the pale grey/white bird that has been around for more than a week, but strangely no Snipe visible, Lapwing numbered around 50 max but varied as small flocks moved in and out. A couple of flyover Marsh Harriers, a few passing Swallows, two G.W.Egrets and a couple of Jays were the only other birds of note
Posts have now reached 50, which fills the page, please see "Meare Heath Scape continued" and please do not post any more on this thread - thanks.
