Cattle egret was feeding with a small flock of little egrets on a newly reseeded pasture on the south side of Meare at ST440413. There is a largely theoretical footpath along the N side of Meare Heath which will get you to the field (if you are prepared to wade chest-deep through muddy ditches). Failing that, it's just about possible to see the field from the old railway along the South Drain, just west of Noah's Lake. The cattle egret flew off towards Catcott Lows at 1700, when the farmer came out to check his cows in the adjacent field.

The glossy ibis flew west past the egret field about 4:30.

Elsewhere, firecrest, bittern, great white egret and merlin at Westhay Moor, though more unusual for there was a fly-over yellowhammer. Redwing numbers climbing today and I had my first fiedlfares too.

Dave

Firecrest in the same place as last year, Dave?

The glossy ibis has come into roost with the egrets on the island on the south side of Noah's lake, to the far left of the hide, at approximately 18.10.

The cattle egret was seen earlier, alas not by me, in the field described by Dave above.

By 18.30 there are 16 egrets in the roost at the very least, including 4+ GWE but I haven't seen the cattle egret and its now so dark I'm giving up.

Hi Andy

The Firecrest was working its way up London Drove, past the end of the track to SW Lake Hide. The whole moor was hopping with tit/warbler flocks, which might repay further attention.

The Redwing movement was also prominent on Mendip this morning: 650 north over Westbury Beacon in 2 1/2 hours. Also a wheatear there, but only 3 fieldfares.

DAve

Great, thank you. Yellow-browed next perhaps...!

We saw a/the glossy ibis flying overhead at about 17:40 today. It was flying south over the main path just slightly west of the junction between the main old railway path, the path to the Noah's lake hide and the path to the Mere Heath hide. It descended into some reeds/scrub on one of the islands in Noah's lake.

The ibis arrived in the same roost location as last week at 17:55 with a group of 8 little egrets, and by 18.05 the roost held 20 egrets of various sizes, predominantly little.

The 21st egret to arrive at approx 18.08 was the cattle egret. Hooray.

By 18:23 there are at least 34 egrets in the roost, at least six of which are GWE, but the light is poor and its hard to be certain.

Oct-23rd
The cattle egret arrived earlier than before, it was on a log to the left of the hide but well in front of the usual roost trees, in the company of two little egrets. The glossy ibis arrived at around 6pm and joined the party on the log. However, these were unsettled by two female marsh harriers; subsequently we were treated to an aerial display involving two marsh harriers, three little egrets, a cattle egret, a glossy ibis and a crow. All but the harriers flew over Noah's hide and disappeared and did not appear to roost in the usual place.

The Cattle Egret was visible near Meare village from Meare Heath hide at 09.00 this morning. It was perched quite high in a tree before dropping out of sight in a field. I was also told that it was visible from the hide for an hour yesterday (Monday) around midday.

After missing the Cattle Egret by 10 minutes yesterday (on the island in front of Meare Heath Hide) a brief and very lucky visit there today at 1330 coincided with the arrival of the Cattle Egret, 4 Little Egrets and a Great White duly landing on the island together, posing for a group snap then they all disappeared after 5 minutes heading N.W.

In the roost tonight: 13 Little Egrets, 3 GW Egrets, 1 Cattle Egret (arrived 1510), 1 Glossy Ibis (arrived 1656).

Yesterday afternoon the Cattle Egret and glossy Ibis arrived at the roost within 5 minutes of each other just after 4:30pm.

Cattle Egret perched on dead tree directly in front of Noah's hide for an hour from 14:30 today and then seen again at roost. Glossy Ibis also at roost from approx 16:35.

The Cattle Egret arrived at 15:05 this afternoon and perched on a log to the far left of the hide. It stayed there for well over an hour when the Glossy Ibis flew in from the right of the hide, circled a couple of times when everything was put up by a low flying Marsh Harrier. The Ibis flew off and was lost to view in the Catcott direction.

Impressive numbers of Starlings roosting in the reeds to the right of Meare Heath scrape on the walk back, a lovely end to a productive afternoon

Two of us held on at Noah's and the ibis returned after a few minutes, perching up with the Cattle Egret (plus 2 Littles and a Cormorant so quite an impressive logfull).

Glossy ibis flying to roost across Meare Heath at 16.30. It was seen earlier over fields to the south of a Meare, having been obviously disturbed along with a large flock of lapwing.

The Cattle Egret, together with the Glossy Ibis & up to 9 Little Egrets, was visible distantly & intermittently from Meare Heath hide this afternoon. All were present in the bright green field directly North of the hide, in front of Meare Village, until they all flew towards Noah's just before 16.00.

Having left meare hide saw ibis fly over towards Noahs at 4pm,had reasonable bins views of it from Noahs hide,also cattle egret through a scope,they were roosting on stumps to right of hide.

The ibis was feeding in front of Meare Heath hide at midday today but no egrets with it. Also, peregrine over Noah's earlier in the morning.

The Cattle Egret appeared with a dozen Littles at about 4.15 today on Noah's, but no ibis

Both species arrived at the usual roost site today in the company of 11 little egrets.

The Glossy Ibis was feeding in front of the second viewpoint at Ham Wall in company with two Little Egrets at midday today