Ham Wall RSPB and Shapwick Heath NNR - Sun 23 Jan

After getting the weekly grocery shop out of the way, Ellie and I had a quick lunch before heading up to the Somerset Levels. When we arrived at the Ashcott Corner car park we were surprised to find it full as people were already arriving to witness the daily Starling roost. Fortunately we found a safe place to park the car on the road and then took a walk around Ham Wall.
As we reached the first viewing platform a look over the exposed water produced lots of duck with good numbers of Pochard and Tufted Duck and a fair few Gadwall, Shoveler, Wigeon and Teal. In the reeds to the south at least three Great White Egrets were seen.
We continued to walk east and got as far as the second viewing platform before deciding to return to the car. On our way back we bumped in to a good friend of mine from Yeovil who had seen the Shapwick Heath Great Grey Shrike earlier in the afternoon. So Ellie and I decided to give it a go and picked up the pace back to the car, a Cetti's Warbler was heard singing as we walked along.
A ten minute drive later and we were parked at the entrance to Shapwich Heath NNR and we walked along the drove until we reached the second of the owl boxes. A quick scan over the reedbed to the south produced the Great Grey Shrike! So a week after missing the bird in pouring rain, today we got lucky as it sat on the top of a small bush:

Having connected with our target bird we decided to call it a day and head on home.
UK list for 2011 now at 125 species.