Meare Heath NR & Ham Wall RSPB - Sun 3 Jun

Family Service at Ellie's local church today and as Tristan was up and awake at 6.00am I made the last minute decision to pop up on to the Somerset Levels for a couple of hours. We had lots planned for later in the day with Jubilee Celebrations taking place in our village, so I knew I could not be out for long.
Parking at Ashcott Corner I walked out to Meare Heath, but only so far as the drained lagoon. I was hoping to finally catch up with a Garganey having missed several already this year. Luck was with me this time as I found a drake feeding on the fringe of the reeds.

Also on the lagoon, the normal flock of Black-tailed Godwits...some twenty-one birds, and a couple of Shelduck. A Great White Egret (one of the breeding pair) flew in and fed for a while and a Bittern did a prolonged fly past. As I was watching the assorted birdlife I could hear the distinctive pinging of Bearded Tits and before long a small flock popped in to view in front of me. I counted thirteen birds, all juveniles and females. As I was getting ready to move on a friend of mine and fellow SBR birder, John Rickards, I heard the Bearded Tits call again and the flock reappeared, only this time there were eighteen birds present!

 

I returned to the car and thought about a drive up to Tealham Moor but as time was an issue I took a walk out to Ham Wall RSPB reserve and walked round the Loxton Heath section, something I'd not done for a while as it's not suitable for a pram! I heard a couple more Bitterns booming and saw yet another Bearded Tit this time a cracking male. As I neared the car park (having got pretty wet during a heavy shower) I saw a very obliging Spotted Flycatcher.

All in all an enjoyable couple of hours out and back home before Ellie and Tristan had returned from church.