April 2015

29th. The female Hudsonian godwit reappeared at Meare Heath, and I happened to be going there. A few more photos in better light. The rufous crown and chin were more obvious.

26th. A day in the Quantocks. In the woods west of Nether Stowey we saw 3 male pied flycatchers and 2 male redstarts. We heard cuckoo and wood warbler. There were at least 2 tree pipits and a female redstart near Dead Woman's Ditch.

25th. A tremendous day's birding. After drinking a bottle of splendid Californian Merlot last night I awoke to find a message about a HUDSONIAN GODWIT at Meare Heath. The species had only been seen twice before in Britain, and the last record was a one-day bird 27 years ago. Today the bird showed well and its underwing pattern was striking. Other good birds at Meare Heath and Ham Wall included a wood warbler, garden warbler (heard), wood sandpiper, little ringed plover, cuckoo (heard), 4 hobbies, about 5 marsh harriers, at least 4 great egrets and a bittern. On the way home I stopped at Northwick Warth to see a male ring ouzel. Photos of the godwit below.

19th.The purple sandpipers have returned to Battery Point, and I saw 4 there at high tide this morning. At Aust Warth I saw 2 whinchat, a wheatear a sedge warbler and I heard a reed warbler. Northwick Warth produced 5 white wagtail, 2 male yellow wagtail, 5 whimbrel, 2 little ringed plover, and house martins. There were another 4 little ringed plover on the Pilning Wetlands. In the afternoon I walked around Sand Point and towards Woodspring Priory and saw a whitethroat, 2 whimbrel and a male redstart. I saw another whitethroat in Flax Bourton during the evening.

8th-15th. Cyprus - click on the Caspian plover for the trip report.

5th. A bittern and a male marsh harrier at Ham Wall. My first swallows of the year here, and one at farmland near Wedmore. Two great white egrets on Meare Heath, and 3 common cranes (presumably reintroduced birds - I couldn't see their legs to check for rings) at Catcott Lows. A couple of sand martins at Chew Valley Lake, and then I checked on my local firecrests, which were present and correct.

6th. Two drake garganey and a white wagtail at Meare Heath, and two great white egrets here too. Great views of probably 5 marsh harriers today. There has been a big arrival of willow warblers overnight. A common sandpiper at Heron's Green Pool, Chew Valley Lake.