Trip reports

Westhay - Saturday 22 November 2008

Friday, 28 November 2008

Other species found included starling, blue tit, many flocks of long-tailed tits, robin, blackbird, goldcrest, great spotted woodpecker, greenfinch, carrion crow, jackdaw and a reed bunting.
Meanwhile, birds located by their calls, but not seen anong the undergrowth and high reeds, were Cetti's warblers and water rails. Two members were quite certain that they had heard a reed warbler.
The best sighting was of a female marsh harrier that showed itself very briefly. Another highlight was the location of about thirty siskins and at least six redpolls.
Acting on a report of a hoopoe sighted at Steart, some members made their way there. They didn't find the hoopoe but on the field off the side of the road were six Bewick swans, a great sighting.
Other species noted at Steart included little egret, kestrel, stonechat, two buzzards, and many linnets. There were huge flocks of small waders on the mudflats, probably dunlin and also a few grey plover and dunlin.
Overlooking the River Parrett, the group saw wigeon on the fields and a peregrine but most unusual sight was of an almost continuous stream of groups of redshank making their way along the waters edge.