2 Sparrowhawk - an adult male appeared and was mobbed by 15+ Barn Swallow. It soared up quite high and then stooped almost vertically from c250m and successfully captured a small bird just above a patch of reeds. A Carrion Crow mobbed it but the hawk flew off low clutching it's prey. Later a juvenile, probably female, soared up above Otterhampton and circled for a couple of minutes before stopping vertically from 100m up and attacking a Barn Swallow. The intended victim easily evaded capture and the hawk disappeared.
2 Kestrel - adult male hover-hunting and an adult female seen carrying away a food item several hundred meters, presumably to feed fledglings.
1 Common Buzzard - perched low and called once.
Also:
Spoonbill - No sign of the bird that was seen from the new viewpoint overlooking Otterhampton Marshes last evening. I met one of the two observers who provided a convincing account of his observation.
1 Greenshank - on scrape in front of Mendip Hide
2 Redshank
8 Black-tailed Godwit
8+ Oystercatcher
2 Lapwing
12+ Little Egret
6+ Grey Heron
6+ Cormorant
20+ Shelduck
6+ Mallard Duck
40+ Barn Swallow
15+ House Martin
10+ Common Swift
8+ Skylark
10+ Goldfinch
2 Reed Bunting
2 Raven
1 Hobby - adult hunting low and fast, probably after House Martins.
1 Peregrine - perched feeding on a kill.
1 Kestrel - carry food item and perched on telegraph wire to feed.
1 Common Buzzard - soaring low.
Also:
1 Spoonbill - appeared from Stert Point direction at 1930 hours and landed at the edge of a lagoon in the middle of the marshes. Still present at 2030 hours. 4 Mediterranean Gull - amongst flock of Black-headed Gulls.
2,500+ Black-headed Gull - on marshes adjacent to Borrow Pit. 3 Whimbrel - flying around high, calling.
2 Reed Bunting
2 Reed Warbler
1 Greenshank
2 Oystercatcher
8 Pied Wagtail
Hi Nick, Just to add a bit about the Spoonbill... It was down near the Avocets ie Breach all afternoon. So I guess it moves around with the tides. Steart Marshes is a big area for one bird.
Photos on my twitter feed https://twitter.com/robinmmorrison/status/622505754243780609
Hi Nick, Lovely image. I left at 19:15 and didn't think to check the Lagoon on returning to the car park after watching the Avocets. :-( (but I did start the day at 5:30 (Ham Wall!!)
by the way.... Do you know what nested high in the main pylon nearest to the main hide?
