AFTERNOON VISIT TO HAM WALL STARLING ROOST
WEATHER: clear blue sky all day, very cold. Max temp 4C
Our Somerset section of the Tour started at 1pm as we assembled in the car park of our Farmhouse Accommodation. We walked about 50 meters to scan some grass meadows where we found 4 Cattle Egrets, a Lapwing and some Crows. Around the working farm a flock of some 200 Starlings were dashing about, we also saw Chaffinches, Goldfinches and Pied Wagtail.
Shoveler and Teal
We drove to Ham Wall noting Jackdaws, Magpies, Crows and Starlings along the way. In the car park at Ham Wall three Cattle Egrets flew over the top of us.
We then spent the next 3 hours working our way along the main track up as far as VP2. We listed all the common Ducks except for Pochard, also several Great Egrets, Cormorants, a large flock of Black-tailed Godwits, Both Little and Great-crested Grebes. Several sightings were had of Marsh Harrier, we also saw Comon Buzzard but no more raptors.
a regular sight at Ham Wall these days - Great Egret
Black-tailed Godwits seen from VP1
From VP2 the most natable sightings were a small flock of Siskins with at least one Redpoll with them, a Water Rail dashed across a channel in the reeds and we noted flocks of Long-tailed Tits, at least four Chiffchaffs, a couple of Song thrushes and only I saw a Eurasian Treecreeper.
Siskin seen next to VP2
Back at VP1 the crowds had gathered, the weather was perfect, a clear sky a beautiful setting sun, all we needed was about 500,000 Starlings! We had been pre-warned that the Starling roost has split with some on Loxton's some viewed from VP1, but the majority were now dropping down on Shapwick Heath. We decided to watch Loxton's, we had the colourful horizon as a back drop as the Starling started to arrive.
sunset over the levels tonight
They came down in good numbers, there was a bit of swirling about but not a full-on murmuration show, nevertheless my group were happy to have seen what we did.
The worse part of the day was getting out of the car park and along Ashcott Road into Meare, it took us 45 minutes becuase of the huge number of cars and pedestrians, a nightmare finish to the day.