Trip reports

Wall Common & Steart - 21 October 2007

Saturday, 27 October 2007

Telescopes were essential to identify the distant birds that included very many curlews plus grey plover, redshank, little egret, turnstone, oystercatcher, dunlin and one or two bar-tailed godwits. Large flocks of small waders, probably dunlin, changed pattern and colour as they raced up and down the tideline.
From the car park at Steart, the party, led by Evan Williams, walked the path behind the extensive reed bed that separates the foreshore from the farmland and gained some good views of a family party of stonechats. But highlight of the day was the sudden appearance of a female hen harrier that worked along the outer edge of the reed bed, a truly magnificent bird.
The view across the wet meadows from the hides produced from more fine birds, among which was a single white-fronted goose that had been recently reported.
Other highlights included nine little grebes on one of the ponds, and great views of a peregrine that flew several times across the river and finally settled for a short period out on the open sandpit. Later it reappeared and posed on the grassland for everyone to get great views and caused the large flock of lapwings to scatter in all directions.
Some of the birders then headed up river to a watching point opposite Huntspill sluice and were rewarded with excellent views of fieldfares and redwings, while on the muddy banks of the river were many more redshank, plus wigeon, mallard and teal but most outstanding was a flock of twenty-seven avocets.
A quick visit to Durleigh reservoir on the way home added to the list with pied and grey wagtail, a superb kingfisher and, most surprisingly, a swallow. It was a very successful day that provided a tally of 58 species.