Shapwick Heath NR - Fri 17 Apr

A trip up to the Avalon Marshes this afternoon, and after the disastrous walk around Ham Wall RSPB dodging dog walkers and seeing no birds a month or so ago, today I walked out on to Shapwick Heath...good call!
Starting at the drained lagoon I soon picked out a rather smart adult Little Ringed Plover, a real cracker. Other birds on the lagoon included single Ruff, Lapwing and Redshank plus a flock of seventy-one Black-tailed Godwit.

I then walked on to Noah's Lake where a Great White Egret flew up from the reeds and a Bittern treated me to a prolonged fly-by. At least four Bitterns were also heard "booming" away and a male Marsh Harrier was also noted.
All in all a brilliant hour or so out and no dogs!