Shapwick / Meare Heath

Photos:

First winter Long-billed Dowitchers, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff and Black-tailed Godwits at Meare Heath
Breeding plumaged Great White Egret at Shapwick Heath - what price a first UK breeding record here his year?
Sunset from Noah's Hide at Shapwick Heath

28^th March 

As I suspected the last 4 Wigeon had departed from HGF overnight. The water level seems to be plummeting alarmingly at the moment and with drought conditions announced over much of the UK, I can’t see any particular future for the pool. I may well have seen the last Wigeon to visit this place which is a very sad feeling. Very quiet overall this morning and no sign of yesterday’s Little Ringed Plover either and still no Sand Martins. 

On my way into the office I diverted again through Rixton mosses and still no Wheatears here. There was a flock of Lesser Black-backed Gulls off Woodend Lane plus a Corn Bunting and 2 Yellowhammers. At the top end of Holly Bush Lane around 8 Fieldfares were present in a small remaining patch of stubble. Moat Lane pool was likewise quiet. 

This evening I arrived down in Somerset for work and decided a walk around Shapwick Heath et al was infinitely preferable to a hotel room. The place was quite busy, no doubt as a result of the presence of the two Long-billed Dowitchers. These two first winter birds showed quite well on the shallow pool at Meare Heath in contrast to the last time I saw them at Chew Valley Lake last autumn. I wonder where they have spent most of the winter? Also on this pool were 28 Black-tailed Godwits including a ringed bird, four Ruff and a Little Ringed Plover. There were lots of Teal and Gadwall also on the pool and a single Little Egret. 

Walking down along the drainage ditch I could hear a veritable cacophony of bird sound with at least 8 Cetti’s Warblers, 7 Chiffers and 2 Blackcaps plus the booming of 6 Bitterns. I wandered over to Noah’s Hide where a Great White Egret was loitering over on the far side of the lake. This bird has the dark bill (not yellow) that alba race adults get in breeding condition and it had large, resplendent plumes. This particular bird looked enormous and the size was apparent when a Mute Swan swam past! 

I stayed here until dusk hoping to see egrets coming into roost. Eventually it dawned on me that the roost had moved and I needed to go back out to the main path and view some trees from distance. When I got the scope up I immediately saw a Great White Egret briefly in flight before dropping out of sight. Moving further along to get better views I spotted two Great White Egrets perched up – neither of these was the bird I saw in flight which clearly had a yellow bill. A handful of Little Egrets were also evident, however I think I had left it too late to see how many birds were present. 

I then walked back to the car park in the semi-gloom. Two Tawny Owls began calling, a couple of Snipe did likewise as they flew overhead and the day was rounded off with half a dozen Redwings also flying overhead and calling. I do like this place!