Pages

Sunday 10 May 2015

Somerset Levels Tour

Another Amazing day on the Levels.

Just a few highlights of the amazing wildlife seen on our tour.

A six am start produced several Booming Bitterns also a couple of fly overs.

As the day warmed up we saw a total of six flying bitterns along with five Marsh Harriers two Male and three Female.

Five sightings of Great White Egret with some good close views of them fishing out in the open.

We heard several Cuckoo calling and were rewarded with two flying close by chasing each other.

Several Blackcap and Garden Warbler singing which enabled us to identify the different notes of each species, always a tricky one to get to grips with!

Other warblers included Reed, Cetti's, Willow, and Chiffchaff, also several Whitethroats around the bushes.

A fly by Kingfisher was the only sighting of the day but still good to see the bright blue flash as they pass.

Several waders on the drained area included 75+ Black Tailed Godwits (some in fine summer plumage), with singles of Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Ruff, Dunlin and Common Sandpiper.

The two highlights of the day were the 20+ Hobby's hawking over the reedbed catching the many flies that had just emerged, and the Female Roe Deer and her young Fawn by the side of the track, she was keeping a keen eye on us as we walked past.

Ducks included Pochard, Shoveler, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Tufted and a fine male Garganey giving some close views.

Lots of Swifts, Swallows with a few each of House and Sand Martins mixed in.

Some other birds seen included three Common Term, Sparrowhawk, Reed Bunting, Song Thrush, Bullfinch and a couple of Water Rail calling, total birds seen 62 species.

Plenty of Marsh frogs in the pools they do make a rather strange noise always worth spending a few minutes listening to them croaking away.

Still not many Dragonflies and Butterflies out and about yet still a little cold, but they should start to appear soon.DT

No comments:

Post a Comment