Winter on the Somerset Levels Dec 2023

 

Great white Egret

I spent a few days last week co-leading a short tour on the Somerset Levels for Naturetrek tours.

The weather was very poor on the first full day but greatly improved on the second. 

The levels have once again experienced widespread flooding this winter as rainfall has been exceptionally high.

We visited several different reserves and open areas including RSPB Greylake, RSPB Swell Wood, West Sedgemoor, RSPB Ham Wall, Shapwick Heath etc and ticked off 66 different species including many classic Somerset Levels specialities such as Bittern, Common Crane, Cetti's Warbler, Marsh Harrier etc.

Here are a few  photos from the trip and for those that couldn't update their daily list I include a list of our 3rd day birds for you to add to your Species checklist.

There are several more 3 day tours to come so if you're interested checkout the Naturetrek website at...

https://www.naturetrek.co.uk/tours/the-somerset-levels

All are based at the Swan Hotel in Wells directly opposite the cathedral. 

Noah's Lake at Shapwick Heath

 

 

Firecrest displaying

Great white Egret

Glossy Ibis

Starlings

Starlings

 

Starling murmuration clip from RSPB Ham Wall.

Starlings

 

 

 

 

 

Our Naturetrek tick list

 

 

The birds we added on the 2nd day were....

Egyptian Goose,

Bittern,

Chaffinch,

Sparrowhawk,

Cetti's Warbler,

Pied Wagtail,

Kingfisher,

Firecrest, 

Siskin,

House Sparrow,

Reed Bunting,

Great Spotted Woodpecker,

Goldfinch,

Jay,

Raven,

Cattle Egret,

Ring necked Duck,

Herring Gull,

Glossy Ibis,

Herring Gull,

Greenfinch. 

Any comments can be made below...

Short-eared Owls in Cornwall 7th November 2023

 

There has been a big influx of Short-eared Owls into Britain and below I quote Birdguides website......

**************************

Short-eared Owls arrive in bumper numbers

It looks set to be an excellent winter for Short-eared Owl in Britain, following an influx of the species in October.

Birds were reported from well over 300 sites on BirdGuides during the month, with many sites hosting multiple individuals. This follows a run of consecutive poor winters for the species – and it looks likely that the 2023-24 will see large numbers in Britain.

The first major signs of an influx came on 8 October, when easterly winds saw a huge arrival along the east coast. The biggest count came at Holme Dunes, Norfolk – a remarkable 54 were logged arriving in off the North Sea. Other large in-off counts that day included 20 at the Isle of May, Fife; 18 at Anderby Creek, Lincolnshire; and 16 at Blakeney Point, Norfolk.

The majority of records continue to come from northern and eastern areas, but birds have filtered south and, in some places, multiple individuals are present. This includes up to 13 at Wallasea Island RSPB, Essex, on 27 October.

****************************

They are now appearing here in Cornwall and finding regular roosts & feeding sites. 

I've been lucky to photograph them in a very public place which is criss-crossed with footpaths and the owls seem to be oblivious to dog walkers and hikers on the Cornish coast. 

Voles seem numerous and 3 birds are using quite a large area of rough pasture and coastal heath.

Here is a selection of images including a composite collage of a bird diving into the grass presumably after a vole.

 

 

 

Pelagic boat trips out of Falmouth Sept-Oct 23.

Northern Gannet

 I was pleased to be asked by Naturetrek to lead a series of pelagic trips out of Falmouth with AK Wildlife Cruises.

They took place on 23rd & 24th September, 30th Sept & 1st October & 7th & 8th October. All 7-8 hour trips. A couple got called off due to stormy weather but the majority went ahead and were very successful.

Many of the larger Shearwaters that had been so prolific this summer had already passed through but we still managed to catch up with a few Greats, Sootys, Balearics & Manx.

Great Shearwater

Sooty Shearwater

Great Shearwater

Great Shearwater

Great Shearwater

 

Common Dolphins were prolific as were Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna and all our guests had amazing views of these especially from the bows of AK's new catamaran which give unrestricted views of the dolphins "bow-riding".

Watching the Common Dolphins at the bows

 

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphins

 

 

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphins

Common Dolphins

Common Dolphins

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

 

 

Atlantic Blue-fin Tuna

 Here is a short video clip of the Common Dolphins bow-riding.

 

Harbour Porpoise also put on good shows which if you are familiar with them is unusual as they'll often dive never to be seen again!

 

Harbour Porpoise

Harbour Porpoise with calves

Grey Seals

A few Auks were off the south coast and we saw Razorbills, Guillemots and a couple of Puffins all in winter plumage.

 

Winter plumage Guillemot

Winter plumage Puffin

Winter plumage Razorbills

Winter plumage Razorbill

Winter plumage Puffin

Mediterranean Gulls & Sandwich terns graced to coastal strip and Turnstones, Oystercatchers & a lone Purple Sandpiper were on the rocky shorelines. A few Kittiwakes and some marauding Skuas clashed farther out off the Manacles as we motored down off the Lizard.

Purple Sandpiper

Mediterranean Gull

Kittiwake

Arctic Skua

 

Probably the most exciting bird for most of us was a Grey Phalarope that we spotted between 2 fishing boats followed by a second bird that posed nicely on the water near the boat as Captain Keith allowed us to drift in on it for guests to get great views of this tiny wader bobbing about in a huge ocean.

 

Grey Phalarope

Grey Phalarope

 

 

Grey Phalarope and a Kittiwake

Northern Gannet

Northern Gannet

 

 

The middle and last weekends saw a big rise in the numbers of Portuguese Man O' War jelly fish with water surface temperatures at 18 degrees Celsius. On the final day, the 8th October we recorded 14 of them along with an Oceanic Sunfish, one of the largest I've seen in Cornish waters. All our guests had great views and the skipper drifted in to let it be seen on both sides of the vessel.

Apologies for the number of Man o' War photos but they were so fantastic to watch!

Portuguese Man O' War

Portuguese Man O' War

Portuguese Man O' War

Portuguese Man O' War

Oceanic Sunfish

Oceanic Sunfish

Oceanic Sunfish

Oceanic Sunfish

 

Naturetrek have booked a lot more day trips out of Falmouth for 2024 so please go on their website for details...... https://www.naturetrek.co.uk/tours/falmouth-pelagic-day-trip