After an early lunch Ellie and I decided to brave the weather and head up on to the Somerset Levels for an afternoon stroll. Rather than our usual walks starting at Ashcott Corner, we instead parked near the Peat Moors Centre and walked out to the Decoy Hide at Shapwick Heath. Due to the drizzle we did not see a lot in the way of birds, but a couple of Lesser Redpolls were feeding in an Alder and a Treecreeper was also seen.
We arrived at the hide and took a look out over the water. Very little in the way of birdlife could be seen, but six Tufted Duck were present and during the quarter of an hour that we were in the hide nearly two hundred Lapwings passed over head, in three flocks. It soon become evident that the rain was here to stay for the rest of the day, so we walked back to the car in what was now pretty heavy rain!
We then took a slight round-a-bout route back home, driving north and taking a look for the Great Grey Shrike that had been seen in the area earlier today, but we failed to see it. We then cut across to the village of Burtle and took the road towards Catcott, stopping on the edge of the village to check the swans. Almost immediately I found the family group of Whooper Swans, with six birds being present amongst Mute Swans.
We then drove on back home, stopping in Yeovil en route to grab a quick look at the small flock of Waxwings that I had seen yesterday, though only seven of the eight birds I saw the day before were present. But they typically showed well, much to Ellie's delight. A wonderful way to end a pleasant if somewhat damp afternoon.
UK list for 2011 now at 121 species.
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