Steart Marshes - 16 December 2014 (late afternoon)
2 Peregrine (adult pair) - perched close together for an hour or so. Male began hunting out over the marshes at dusk.
3 Kestrel - still and hover-hunting.
1 Sparrowhawk (adult male) - caught small passerine out on the marshes and carried it back to an area of Hawthorn shrub to consume it out of sight in peace. Grasped in its talons was a 1 metre long reed stem that trailed along behind it as it flew!
2 Common Buzzard - loafing about on low perches.
2 Short-eared Owl - quartering the area known as Otterhampton Marshes.
Also:
2 Raven
2 Stonechat
1 Kingfisher
15 Avocet
800 Lapwing
5,000 Dunlin
No Golden Plover!
18th December
My first visit to the 'New Reserve' walked from new car park to Mendip hide and out to the Parrett. Surprisingly very windy. On the Lagoons were Lapwing a few Golden plover some Shelduck and a couple of Little Egrets. Not very many small birds except for Starlings feeding in the fields and Stonechats I counted at least 10 on my way out to the estuary where there was a nice tight flock of circa 300 Avocet wheeling around in the sun. Large numbers of Wigeon a few Bwits,curlew and plenty of Dunlin with more Shelduck. No sign of SEO at Wall Common or Otterhampton Marsh
