Greylake and Shapwick Heath, 17th June

Greylake and Shapwick Heath, 17th June

This was our first ever group visit to Greylake, a new RSPB reserve in the Somerset levels. The reserve is due to open to the public in September, but Damon Bridge, the reserve warden, kindly led this morning’s walk to give us a preview. The superb weather (by arrangement with the Met Office, of course) got us off to a good start. As did the group of Long-tailed Tits and other birds that entertained us in the car park.

Damon first took us a to a viewpoint from which we could see the general layout of the reserve. It is about 100 hectares (250 acres) on the north side of the King’s Sedgemoor Drain, and to the west of the A361. Until the 1990s it had been used for growing potatoes and carrots, and (perhaps) as a result is about half a metre below the level of its surroundings, which keeps it quite damp. At the same time, it is surrounded by banks which keep the reserve from being flooded. Its recent agricultural history means that it is not of any special botanical interest, but over the past few years the RSPB has been working on developing its potential for birds, and, in particular, breeding waders.

It is now a superb habitat for Yellow Wagtails, and we got some excellent views as Damon took us on a circular walk through the reserve. While we were looking at a female Yellow Wagtail feeding her fledglings in a bush, the call went up that there was a stoat on the footpath ahead, carrying prey. Later, a Brown Hare dashed away when we disturbed it. Several Sky Larks serenaded us, though not always easy to locate against the bright blue sky.

As we approached the site where a hide is to be erected, we started to see a group of Lapwings half-hidden by the vegetation at the water’s edge. Then a couple of Redshanks flew up, calling, as we had disturbed then. On the path back to the car park, we could see a small camera in the middle of some rough grass - and nestled beside it a Lapwing on her nest. Apparently, there has been some predation of the nests, and the camera was there in an effort to identify the culprit. But it has also given some fascinating views of Lapwing behaviour on the nest. After thanking Damon for an excellent morning, we headed off to Ashcott corner for lunch.

The weather continued hot and sunny into the afternoon, when Ray Jones led our visit to Shapwick Heath nature reserve. A gentle walk along the track gave us good views of a family of Whitethroats, then a Gadwall with her ducklings, a stripy young Great Crested Grebe and Swans with their cygnets - all signs of a successful Spring. We crossed the bridge over the South Drain, and took the opportunity to view a few of the uncommon Red-eyed Damselflies. Not to mention a couple of research biologists - one of whom was almost up to her neck in the water surveying the aquatic life! It was quiet at the Meare Heath Hide, so we crossed back and went over to the Noah Hide.

This gives a superb view over an extensive area of wetlands, which held a range of Mute Swans, Great-crested Grebes, Greylag and Canada Geese, Cormorants and more. We were enthralled by the Hobbies in the sky above - at least eight of them were swooping around, catching and eating dragonflies in mid-air. A couple of them perched on the dead trees in the water, giving us some good views. Then Ray pointed out a tern dipping in to the water, behaving as a marsh tern, but it wasn’t a Black or White-winged Tern, and didn’t even look dark enough to be a Whiskered Tern. Once it settled and we could take a closer look., we came to the conclusion that it was a Common Tern, after all, and perhaps it wasn’t diving in the normal way because the water was too shallow. Having resolved that conundrum, it was time to walk gently back to the cars, having enjoyed another successful day. Particular thanks go to both Damon and Ray for leading the two halves of the field trip.

The number of bird species seen was 46.

Richard Swinbank

Butterflies

Red Admiral

Painted Lady

Small Tortoiseshell

Meadow Brown

Large Skipper

Large White

Green-veined White

Small White

Dragonflies & Damselflies

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Red-eyed Damselfly

Common Blue Damselfly

Black-tailed Skimmer

Broad-bodied Chaser

Four-spotted Chaser

Common Darter

Banded Demoiselle

Southern Hawker

Emperor Dragonfly

Mammals

Stoat

Hare

Birds seen, in BOU order or alphabetic order

BOU order

Mute Swan

Greylag Goose

Canada Goose

Gadwall

Mallard

Shoveler

Tufted Duck

Great Crested Grebe

Cormorant

Little Egret

Grey Heron

Sparrowhawk

Buzzard

Hobby

Coot

Lapwing

Curlew

Redshank

Black-headed gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Common Tern

Wood Pigeon

Collared Dove

Cuckoo

Common Swift

Sky Lark

Barn Swallow

Meadow Pipit

Yellow Wagtail

Pied Wagtail

Dunnock

Blackbird

Cetti’s Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Reed Warbler

Whitethroat

Long-tailed Tit

Great Tit

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Starling

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Reed Bunting

Alphabetic order