AVALON MARSHES
SATURDAY 4th JULY 2009
Weather: Very Warm and mostly Sunny.
Posted: Mon 6th July 2009: 13.30hrs
Despite my right knee still being rather sore and swollen, I headed off back to Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath reserves very early this morning, with my knee heavily strapped, off I strode from Glastonbury heading towards Ham Wall via the footpath'disussed Railway line, and it was not long before I was rewarded, no sooner had I got my bins out and scanned the area there sitting on a gate post was a stunning Barn Owl, it had clearly seen me before I had seen it, but it was at a distant and did not seem threatened. After about 7 or 8 minutes it took off and floated away, beat that I quietly told myself.
From the main track at Ham Wall I noted the usual Goldfinches and Greenfinches and an early morning Dunnock giving it everything he had, with not a soul to be seen the birds sang happily with Marsh Frogs in the background. (Who needs the X-Factor and Britains Got Talent, when we have much better on offer here).
On the various pools a few Tufted Duck and Mallards, Coots and Moorhens busily feeding young, and I noted 5 Grey Herons and a Little Egret. Further along I disturbed a Buzzard in a nearby tree, as soon as it saw me it headed off to another tree further away. A pair of Jays flew across the Ham Wall loop trails. I had a quick break at one of the Screens and watched the Cormaorants 'drying off and a pair of Great-crested Grebes feeding a single youngster, and the young birds are delightful with their stripped heads, and two eclipse Garganey on the far right (First of the year for me) and a single Pochard and Reed Warbler flying across in front of the screen.
Continuing with the Walk some of the other birds were a single Chiffchaff and Blackap and a few Blue Tits. I headed off into Shapwick Heath and checked out the birds on the edge of the Meare Heath pool, large number of Lapwings as well as 5 Black-tailed Godwits, I moved off to the 70 acre hide, sadly no Otters here but a single Common Tern was good to see, after a short stay I headed off to the hide at Meare Heath, and a Kingfisher was seen from here, but it was very quiet bird wise, on the return walk through the trees, a Great-spotted Woodpecker was a good find probing away on a tree trunk.
By now it was warming up, and the first of the Butterflies were on the wing, in the distance a Cuckoo called out, a short later I would catch a glimpse of it as I rested on a bench towards the Decoy. I was looking out for various other wildlife apart from birds and I came across this insect despite searching I have not yet found out what it is.....(Anyone who can let me know, do please drop a line).
(Insect - Shapwick Heath, 4th July 2009)
Walking along the path headng towards the decoy hide, I spotted a Common Shrew, that just totally took no notice of me and just quetly went about it's business looking for tasty tit-bits,on closer inspection it looked like it had a tick on it's head.
(Common Shrew - Shapwick Heath. Saturday 4th July 2009)
(Common Blue Damselfly. Shapwick Heath. 4th July 2009)
I caught site of of a White Admiral Butterfly shortly after, would it settle...not on your life, it fluttered around me clearly giving me the once over and headed off over the reeds. From the Hide it was pretty quiet, a solitary Grey Heron kept watch and a few Dragonflies patrolled the the area. I watched a Male Marsh Harrier carrying some prey, very quickly followed by the female, calling to him , the dropped in the reeds some distance away, but the male was off again soon after.
Heading back aong the track the White Admiral was fluttering at the very same spot, I stood motionless in the hope again that it would settle, no surprises it did not, just fluttered away again on the breeze. A Southern Hawker Dragonfly was a good find and the were lots of Damselflies on the wing some would settle for a quick photo. Quite a few Red Admirals and Large White Butterflies also a very flighty Comma. I managed to get a photo of a Hoverfly (Helophilus Pendulus).
(Southern Hawker. Shapwick Heath. Saturday 4th July 2009)
(Hoverfly, (Helophilus Pendulus) Shapwick Heath 4th July 2009)
Off on the return leg of my trip I came across an Emperor Dragonfly but I could not get close enough to photograph it sadly. Back at Ham Wall I stopped off again at the first screens and just rested and watched the birds on offer the pair of Geat-crested Grebes were still feeding it's single young, and I also noted a single Little Grebe, then to my delight I watched an Otter swim across the pool, it lifted it's head looking towards me and carried on to the other side, the day started with a Barn Owl and ended with an Otter....perfick. The last part of the walk I saw a various Butterflies including a few Small Whites, 6 Small Tortoiseshells and this rather obliging Large Skipper.
(Large Skipper - Ham Wall. Saturday 4th July 2009)
I ended my stay at the Tea Garden and I can really recommend it the food is great, and the walls are lined with great photographs taken by one the of the reserves volunteers.
I have really been taken with the Avalon Marshes and there is still a large area to be explored, I cannot wait for my next vsit.
SUNDAY 5th JULY 2009
On the Sunday morning I found a Hummingbird Hawkmoth on one of my upstairs windows.
(Hummingbird Hawkmoth. Sunday 5th July 2009)
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