Support worker shocked to glimpse 'rarest garden bird in UK' in Somerset village

The ultra-rare bird was spotted in a local garden

A local support worker has spoken of his shock after catching a glimpse of the "rarest breeding garden bird in UK" in a Somerset village.

Paul Galvani, from Yeovil, was working at a home in Martock when he spotted a Black Redstart in the back garden.

The keen birdspotter even captured a picture of the orange-tailed rarity sitting on a fence as it fluttered around the area on Friday, January 24.

"I managed to get a superb photo of one of the rarest garden birds in Britain," said Mr Galvani.

"Over the last decade there is estimated to be less than 100 breeding pairs in the whole of the UK.

"When I first saw it, I thought it could be a pigment anomaly or a juvenile bird of another species, but after speaking with other birdspotters, it was confirmed to be a Black Redstrat.

"It was just a fantastic feeling to get a photograph of the bird"

continued

Hello exotic egrets, farewell mountain butterflies as fauna revolution hits UK

Colourful creatures are moving north from Europe into a warming Britain … but indigenous rivals risk being lost for ever

Stephen Moss

Sat 29 Jun 2019 12.00 BSTLast modified on Sat 29 Jun 2019 17.25 BST

Cattle egrets – birds once so exotic we rarely saw them north of the Mediterranean – are now nesting in a heronry near my home in Somerset. Flocks of them often gather in the nearby fields, feeding among Jerseys and Holsteins. They look as if they are quite at home on this side of the Channel – which nowadays they are.

These small white herons, adorned with their orange breeding-plumes, are just one of several species of waterbird to have colonised southern Britain in the past decade or so, as a result of the climate crisis. These include the little egret, which has bred here since the mid-90s, and the great white egret, which first nested on the Avalon Marshes less than a decade ago.

Egrets are hard to ignore: even people who have little or no interest in birds are beginning to notice these elegant white birds in our midst. But meanwhile, a whole suite of wild creatures is colonising Britain by stealth; sometimes passing under the radar until they have established thriving populations here.

Continued

This is what the council is doing to control the seagull population in Bath

The birds have long been a nuisance to residents

By

Jillian MacMath Trending And Advance Content Writer

14:56, 19 JUN 2019

UPDATED15:31, 19 JUN 2019

Summertime in Bath is synonymous with outdoor BBQs and picnics in the park, as well as an influx of tourists hoping to soak in the best of the World Heritage city.

But as more people flock to public spaces, so do the city's seagulls.

According to the last count in 2018, the city of Bath is home to 835 breeding pairs of gulls.

And their presence in the city is not always welcomed by residents and visitors.

Many regard the birds as pests, who steal food left outside and spread litter.

Because of this, Bath and Northeast Somerset Council takes steps each year to mitigate the chaos they cause - and to keep the population from booming.

But the issue is a complex one, as the gulls are granted certain protections and come to the city for more than just your leftover chips.

"We've created big beaches in the skies"

It’s a common assumption that gulls come to Bath for food - be it from diners chowing down outside, or vulnerable rubbish bags.

But according to the experts at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), this isn’t actually their motivation.

“It’s nothing to do with food,” RSPB spokesman Tony Whitehead told Bath.Live.

“They are attracted to urban areas because of really safe nesting places.

"They nest high up on the roofs, away from any potential predators like foxes or voles.”

Sprawling rooftops above the city are as desirable to the birds as a sheltered beach, he said.

Continued

Two rare birds found in Somerset gardens rescued by Secret World Wildlife Rescue

11th October

By Alice Simmons

A Manx Shearwater was found by a couple in their garden in Evercreech who realised it needed help and immediately called the East Huntspill wildlife centre.

The birds usually only come in to land during the night to feed their young which are reared in burrows in cliff faces.

The day after the team at Secret World collected this bird, another Manx Shearwater walked into a house in Taunton.

Both birds were assessed and treated at Secret World before being taken to the RSPCA at West Hatch where they have special facilities for seabirds.

Dan Bryant, animal carer at Secret World, said: “For these birds to be found inland is extremely unusual, especially as the breeding season is over.

"Usually storms will force them to land but there don’t appear to have been any storms.

“As they rarely see humans, they don’t have a fear of them. Many of these birds, which pair for life, will migrate to South Africa for the winter, travelling a journey of over 10,000 km.

"The oldest known Manx Shearwater is 56 years old which is a record for sea birds.

“It was amazing to see them but right that we should pass them on to West Hatch who have experience of caring for these incredible birds.”

Source: 

Read here 

Super rare albino bird spotted in Somerset

4 June 2018 at 10:33am

An extremely rare albino house sparrow has been spotted in Somerset.

This one was captured on camera amongst a small colony in Westonzoyland.

They're one of the rarest birds in the world and are distinctive because of their pink eyes and pure white feathers.

Most white wild birds seen are leucistic, lacking pigment, and they are rare in themselves, but a true albino bird, with pink eyes is incredibly rare!

RSPB monitoring suggests a severe decline in the UK house sparrow population, recently estimated as dropping by 71 per cent between 1977 and 2008 with substantial declines in both rural and urban populations.

Last updated Mon 4 Jun 2018

Source 

Rare black-crowned night herons breed for the first time in the UK

A PAIR of extremely rare birds have bred in the UK for the first time, conservationists have revealed.
PUBLISHED: 00:01, Wed, Aug 2, 2017 | UPDATED: 16:37, Wed, Aug 2, 2017

Two adult black-crowned night herons and two recently fledged juveniles are now roosting at a nature reserve in Somerset.

The discovery was made by bird watchers at the Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Westhay Moor national nature reserve and Graham Hall was able to photograph the night herons.

It is thought the adults either bred there or at the nearby Avalon Marshes site.

Experts said night herons were extremely rare in the south of England and only around a dozen had been spotted in Somerset since the 1800s.

Continued

Fake crane project brings birds back to Britain

November 8, 2016
 
Conservationists dressed in crane costumes have helped bring the graceful grey birds back to Britain's wetlands after they were hunted to near extinction as a delicacy in the Middle Ages.



The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said the hand-rearing of 93 cranes in Somerset, southwest England, had been "instrumental" in bringing the total number of cranes in Britain to 160.

"It's an incredibly useful technique. It allows you to act as a surrogate parent," Damon Bridge, one of the conservationists who reared chicks from eggs as part of the "Great Crane Project", told AFP.

Wearing grey body suits, Bridge and other bird enthusiasts socialised with and fed the chicks with devices shaped like a crane's head and painted with a bird's face in a programme that ended in 2014.

Bridge said the aim was to prevent chicks from "imprinting" on humans before being released into the wild so they don't rely on people to feed them.

The chicks that were reared in this way have survived in the wild and have now themselves begun breeding.

"The population has probably grown to a size where it has reached a critical mass," said Bridge.

The Great Crane Project is a partnership between the RSPB, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust.

"It's a dream come true... Cranes are well on track to become a true conservation success story for the UK," said Rebecca Lee, principal conservation breeding officer at the WWT.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-11-fake-crane-birds-britain.html#jCp

Fake crane project brings birds back to Britain
November 8, 2016

The Great Crane Project is a partnership between the RSPB, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust

Conservationists dressed in crane costumes have helped bring the graceful grey birds back to Britain's wetlands after they were hunted to near extinction as a delicacy in the Middle Ages.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said the hand-rearing of 93 cranes in Somerset, southwest England, had been "instrumental" in bringing the total number of cranes in Britain to 160.

"It's an incredibly useful technique. It allows you to act as a surrogate parent," Damon Bridge, one of the conservationists who reared chicks from eggs as part of the "Great Crane Project", told AFP.

Wearing grey body suits, Bridge and other bird enthusiasts socialised with and fed the chicks with devices shaped like a crane's head and painted with a bird's face in a programme that ended in 2014.

Bridge said the aim was to prevent chicks from "imprinting" on humans before being released into the wild so they don't rely on people to feed them.

The chicks that were reared in this way have survived in the wild and have now themselves begun breeding.

"The population has probably grown to a size where it has reached a critical mass," said Bridge.

The Great Crane Project is a partnership between the RSPB, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust.

"It's a dream come true... Cranes are well on track to become a true conservation success story for the UK," said Rebecca Lee, principal conservation breeding officer at the WWT.

Read more at: 

Missing vulture 'Arthur' still not caught after four days

4 June 2016

A vulture that went missing in Somerset four days ago has still not been caught despite several sightings.

The 11-year-old bird, called Arthur, was swept away by strong winds during a display at the Royal Bath and West Show on Wednesday.

The "massive great" bird has since been spotted in Castle Carey in Somerset and Devizes in Wiltshire.

Birds of Prey Displays is asking anyone who sees him not to approach him and to contact them instead.

The white-headed vulture was taking part in an Eagle and Vulture show on the opening day of the show in Shepton Mallet, when it was blown off course.

Ben Potter, the bird's owner, said the "massive great big glove puppet of a vulture" should be easy to spot.

"He's a 12lb vulture, with a 6ft wingspan - you can't miss him," he said.

Anyone who spots the vulture is being asked not to approach it but instead to call its owner

"And he will make himself really obvious to people because he knows people are part of his life so he will be quite visual."

Since Wednesday, the massive bird has been spotted in a field in Castle Cary, been seen being "harassed by two rooks" as it flew over Sparkford in Somerset, and surprised a driver in Devizes in Wiltshire.

"If you see it give me a call and I'll come and get it," said Mr Potter.

"The only thing I do ask is that people don't go to him - not because he's dangerous - mainly because he'll be spooked and keep moving and moving and moving."

Source … 

1,000 twitchers in a flap as ‘lost’ rare bird flies into Britain

MORE than a thousand bird watchers got themselves into a flap after a rare wader took a 4,000-mile detour to Britain.

By SELINA SYKES

PUBLISHED: 00:01, Mon, Apr 27, 2015 | UPDATED: 11:51, Mon, Apr 27, 2015

The Hudsonian godwit usually migrates to South America in the winter and then heads north to its breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska in spring.

It is only been spotted in the UK a handful of times.

A keen-eyed twitcher spotted the bird late last week before news spread via an online forumon Saturday after an expert confirmed the sighting.

A crowd of birdwatchers from all over the country lined the water’s edge on the Somerset Levels by the afternoon.

Birdwatcher Michael Trew, 70, said: “It is quite a strange affair.

"We don’t know how long it has even been here.

“It’s not supposed to be here at all.

Continued ...

Last cranes released into British wild

Final set of birds in ambitious to reintroduction project has been released at a secret location in Somerset

theguardian.com, Thursday 7 August 2014 16.46 BST

The final set of cranes from an ambitious project to reintroduce the birds to Britain has been released at a secret location in Somerset.

Cranes used to be common throughout the country but were driven to extinction in the 16th century by over-hunting and the loss of wetlands.

Over the past five years, the Great Crane Project has raised five classes of young crane chicks and released almost 100 on to the Somerset Levels and moors.

The classes, including foraging and exercise, were taught by humans dressed in grey hooded overalls to prevent the young birds becoming accustomed to people.

Yesterday, 16 young cranes completed the last 10-week course of Crane School at Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) Slimbridge reserve in Gloucestershire.

They will join previous graduates and it is hoped the crane flock will start to grow naturally as the birds reach maturity and breed.

Continued ...

Booming bitterns are thriving on Somerset Levels, survey shows

By WMNPBowern | Posted: April 30, 2014

Record breaking results from the first of two spring bittern counts across the Avalon Marshes in Somerset have delighted conservationists, local people and visitors.

The bittern is a stocky, elusive heron, whose brown-streaky colouring enables it to move and hunt stealthily through its reedbed habitat. Bitterns are most easily identified by the distinctive booming call of the males.

Staff from Natural England, the RSPB and Somerset Wildlife Trust with a team of over 40 volunteers coordinated a survey recently, listening out for the booming male birds. An amazing 41 birds were heard, with signs that there were probably more.

The team assembled at 5am in the misty pre-dawn twilight, when the birds are at their most active, and counted from strategic points over the three nature reserves for an hour. This enabled them to home in on the individual sounds and accurately count the bird’s calls.

Read on

Record breaking summer for Somerset’s wetland birds - via Tony Whitehead

Media release

Issued jointly by Natural England, Somerset Wildlife Trust and RSPB

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Record breaking summer for Somerset’s wetland birds
Celebrations as one of the West Country’s premiere wetlands produces a bumper crop of rare birds.

Conservationists in Somerset are celebrating this week with the news that the Avalon Marshes has had its best year ever for breeding birds.

The Avalon Marshes is a huge wetland recreation site to the west of Glastonbury managed by Natural England (NE), Somerset Wildlife Trust (SWT), Hawk and Owl Trust and RSPB.

Following the first UK nesting great white egrets last year in the marshes, this summer has seen two pairs nest; one again at Natural England’s Shapwick National Nature Reserve (producing two youngsters) and a new pair within the boundary of the RSPB’s Ham Wall nature reserve (producing three young)

The RSPB reserve at Ham Wall has also been host to a nesting pair of little bitterns. This is the only known UK breeding location for these remarkably shy and diminutive members of the heron family and this year two young birds successfully fledged.

And, to add to the totals, great bitterns have had yet another amazing year across the Avalon Marshes. On RSPB, NE and SWT land, as many as 33 “booming” males have been heard across the wetlands. This makes the area now one of the UK’s hotspots for this rare and remarkable bird.

Alongside the nesting bitterns and egrets, the wetlands have also provided a home for marsh harriers, with four nests producing thirteen young. 

Ray Summers, RSPB warden for Ham Wall said; “We are all absolutely delighted. Since we took on the land at Ham Wall back in the mid 1990s we’ve been working hard to recreate a pristine wetland. To have all these nesting egrets, bitterns and harriers is a fantastic seal of approval for the work we’ve done, it really demonstrates the quality of the site for wildlife”

“We are also enormously grateful for the team of dedicated volunteers who have worked hard this summer to protect the birds and keep them safe from disturbance.”

Simon Clarke, Natural England’s Senior Reserve Manager for Shapwick Heath and the Somerset NNRs, said: “This year’s breeding success at Avalon Marshes is a great example of how strong partnership working can genuinely benefit threatened and vulnerable wildlife species.  The partner organisations have all worked closely together to develop this habitat on a landscape scale. And the result is a safe, abundant and well-managed environment that is providing feeding and nesting opportunities for a startling range of wildlife – especially those we’ve seen at Shapwick."

Mark Blake, Reserve Manager for Somerset Wildlife Trust said: ”It has been an exciting year on the Avalon Marshes and we are delighted to see marsh harrier breeding at Westhay Moor for the second year. The habitat creation and management being carried out by the partners is going from strength to strength and we look forward to further breeding success in future.”

Chris Sperring MBE, Conservation Officer Hawk and Owl Trust, said; “The Avalon Marshes just get better every year. The success is down to a wonderfully balanced and organised partnership, particularly heartening when we see so many new species establishing, and some old friends like the marsh harrier on the rise as well.  The careful management also creates a very human experience, as I found out recently whilst on a footpath with a kingfisher hovering less than 3 metres from me.”

Tony Whitehead speaking for RSPB in the southwest said; “Having all these birds breeding successfully in the Avalon Marshes demonstrates the power of landscape scale nature conservation. If you get the conditions right, the birds will turn up.”

“Wetlands are under pressure the world over, not least, from climate change. To be able to recreate this landscape in Somerset is of huge significance. We know that large, well-managed wetlands can act as centres of establishment for colonising species such as little bittern and be crucial in helping them adapt to our changing climate as is being demonstrated in the Avalon Marshes."

Ends

For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Tony Whitehead, RSPB Press Officer, 01392 453754, 07872 414365

Michelle Hawkins, Natural England Press Officer  0300 060 1109, 07775 585 935

Beth Jerrett, Communications & PR Manager, Somerset Wildlife Trust 01823 652413

The attached image of the great white egret family at RSPB Ham Wall is free to use with this story, and other, higher res images are available on request. Please credit “akwildlifeimages.com”

Notes to editors:
Little Bittern

The first confirmed breed of little bittern in the UK was in 1984 in Yorkshire when a pair raised four young. 

Although there are no confirmed records, it is suspected that little bittern may have bred in East Anglia in the 19th Century and in Kent in the 1930s and 40s.

Great White Egret

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/greatwhiteegret/index.aspx

Great Bittern

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/bittern/index.aspx

Marsh Harrier

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/marshharrier/index.aspx

Reserves information

For more information on RSPB Ham Wall visit http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/h/hamwall/index.aspx

For more information on Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve, visithttp://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/designations/nnr/1006131.aspx

The Avalon Marshes is to feature on the new BBC Series “Britain’s Wildlife Revival” on Sunday 29th September 2013 at 5:35pm

Somerset's heaven for herons

Conservationists in Somerset are celebrating the news that the Avalon Marshes has had its best year ever for rare breeding herons.

Following the first British nesting Great Egrets last year in the marshes, this summer has seen two pairs successzfully raise young; one pair again at Natural England’s (NE) Shapwick NNR (producing two fledglings) and a second pair within the boundary of the RSPB’s Ham Wall nature reserve (producing three). The Avalon Marshes is a huge wetland recreation site to the west of Glastonbury, managed jointly by NE, Somerset Wildlife Trust (SWT), Hawk and Owl Trust (HOT) and RSPB.

Ham Wall RSPB has also been hosting a nesting pair of Little Bitterns. This is the only known British breeding location for these remarkably shy and diminutive herons, and this year two chicks fledged. In addition to this, Bittern itself has had yet another amazing year across the marshes, with as many as 33 booming males being heard. The area is now one of Britian’s hotspots for this rare and remarkable bird.

Alongside the bitterns and egrets, the area has also provided a home for four pairs of Marsh Harrier, which produced 13 young.

Ray Summers, RSPB warden for Ham Wall said: “We are all absolutely delighted. Since we took on the land at Ham Wall back in the mid 1990s, we’ve been working hard to recreate a pristine wetland. To have all these nesting herons and harriers is a fantastic seal of approval for the work we’ve done, and really demonstrates the quality of the site for wildlife."

Mark Blake, Reserve Manager for SWT, said: ”It has been an exciting year on the Avalon Marshes and we are delighted to see Marsh Harrier breeding at Westhay Moor for the second year. The habitat creation and management being carried out by the partners is going from strength to strength and we look forward to further breeding success in future.”

Chris Sperring MBE Conservation Officer for HOT said: “The Avalon Marshes just get better every year. The success is down to a wonderfully balanced and organised partnership, particularly heartening when we see so many new species establishing, and some old friends like the Marsh Harrier on the rise as well. The careful management also creates a very human experience, as I found out recently while on a footpath with a Kingfisher hovering less than 3 metres from me.” 

http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/channel/newsitem.asp?c=11&cate=__14746

Rare Peregrine falcon recovering after being shot in wing

Police are investigating after a rare peregrine falcon was shot in Keynsham.

The falcon, which is just a few months old, was found at the side of the road by a passer-by in Queen Charlton earlier this month.

He alerted the Independent Bird Register and it is now recovering in a specially constructed mews at the smallholding of Peter Burden who has been rehabilitating birds of prey for 40 years.

Initially Mr Burden thought the bird had been hit by a car but an X-ray revealed lead pellets in its wing.

Mr Burden, who also breeds chickens, ducks, sheep and rheas, at his home in Portishead said: “I have cared for many birds over the years but this is the first time I have known a peregrine falcon to be shot.

“The falcon suffered soft tissue damage which means it cannot fly. It is making good progress and I am taking it back to the vet next week.”

Mr Burden, 60, who is also chairman of Portishead Town Council, also reported the incident to Bristol Ornithological Club,

Club chairman Ed Drewitt had ringed the bird when it was a chick near Avonmouth on the Severn Estuary early in July and said: “This bird is just a few months old and it’s hard to believe it’s been shot.

“I’ve been studying peregrines in Bristol for 15 years and this is the first instance of one being shot in the city. It is unacceptable behaviour, and a relief the bird is still alive.

“In areas such as northern England we do encounter problems of this kind, with game hunters targeting the birds.

“Whoever shot the bird was a bad shot and fortunately the pellet went into its wing, rather than into the main body.”

He hopes the bird will make a full recovery and will be able to be released into the wild.

Peregrine falcons are a protected species and the incident has been reported to the police and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

A police spokesman said: “We are investigating the incident which is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1982,

“Anyone with information should contact Keynsham Police Station on 101.”

Read more: http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Rare-Peregrine-falcon-recovering-shot-wing/story-19692568-detail/story.html#ixzz2cnMayXcP

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Falconry owner in court over endangered birds

The owner of a North Somerset falconry has been fined £7,000 for displaying and selling endangered species of birds of prey without the correct paperwork.

Andrew McManus-Dunkley, of Cranmore Caravan Park, Bullocks Lane, Kingston Seymour, was found guilty of six charges of the prohibited display of an endangered species and one charge of the prohibited sale of a bird when he appeared before North Somerset Magistrates Court.

He admitted one charge of selling a European eagle owl without the necessary documentation.

The court heard how Mr McManus-Dunkley had a range of birds at his Banwell Falconry business, then based at Blagdon Water Gardens in Upper Langford, between February and August 2011.

The birds included a peregrine falcon called Lessa, a common buzzard called Ziggy, a Tawny Owl called Gizmo, an unnamed tawny owl and European eagle owls Chimera and Rocko.

The falconry was visited by wildlife inspectors from the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) and police wildlife crime officers in August 2011 following concerns about birds being sold and used commercially in contravention of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations 1997.

All birds of prey found in England are protected by legislation to ensure that they are only used commercially and legitimately using documents issued under the provisions of the European Wildlife Trade Regulations.

The court heard how Mr McManus-Dunkley had been working with birds of prey for 30 years, initially starting up his business in a cottage before moving to Puxton Park and then to Blagdon Water Gardens.

Mr McManus Dunkley was fined £7,000 for the offences, ordered to pay court costs of £620 and a victim surcharge of £15. He was also ordered to forfeit the birds.

http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Falconry-owner-court-endangered-birds/story-19473661-detail/story.html

Little bitterns breeding in Somerset

Guard set up to protect rare birds on RSPB Ham Wall nature reserve

June 2013. The RSPB has set up a guard on the nest of a pair of rare little bitterns at the wildlife charity's Ham Wall nature reserve, in Somerset.

Only breeding pair in UK

This is the only known UK location of the bird, a member of the heron family. The species first nested in Yorkshire in 1984, but it wasn't until 2010 that they bred again in the extensive reedbeds of the RSPB reserve. Since then breeding has been suspected, but this year birds are known to be nesting.

Steve Hughes is the site manager for the RSPB's Ham Wall nature reserve. He said: "The male has a very distinctive "barking" call and appears to be holding territory, and we've had glimpses of a female."

To protect the birds from disturbance and the unwanted attention of obsessive egg collectors, RSPB staff and volunteers will be watching the site and access to some parts of the reserve has been restricted.

Steve Hughes continued: "Everything is in place to make sure these rare and very special birds are fully protected - we don't want to take any chances."

Little bittern - In decline across Europe

Little bittern are found across the world. In Europe over the past 40 years their populations have been in decline. Although the reasons are not entirely clear it is thought that this is linked to loss of habitat, both in the areas they nest, and in Africa where they spend their winter.

Continued

Ham Wall RSPB - Starling Murmuration, 17th January 2013

Video: (Best viewed in 1080p HD, full screen)

Posted by wildliferob 

Hi Everyone :)

Just wanted to share a video I filmed yesterday evening of the Starlings at Ham Wall RSPB in Somerset. I had been meaning to pop down over the last couple of years to see the birds but for one reason or another I didn't get round to it. Thankfully yesterday this changed.

An early start of 7am was needed as it was a couple of hours drive down from the Midlands, arrived after 9am and started by visiting Shapwick Heath. Spent a few hours here early in the morning, not a lot on offer out of the ordinary but still we enjoyed the walk & fresh air.

After lunch (in the warmth of the car!) we headed over to Ham Wall itself. I was surprised to find that there were no hides (does anyone know if there are any plans to put any in?) but several viewing screens and a couple of viewing platforms. I had a Kingfisher fly by which was one of my highlights along with sightings of usual woodland birds. Out on the water I couldn't locate a Great White Egret - which was one of my target birds for the day! - but I did pick up the usual suspects.

Overall to be honest it was a quiet day on the wildlife front but with the cold / damp weather I wasn't too surprised and I was just waiting the arrival of the Starlings, essentially what I had traveled down for.

Continued:  http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/f/13609/t/94139.aspx

Rare visitor drops in from Scandinavia

A SCANDINAVIAN bird that is rarely seen in this country has been spotted at Langport sewage treatment works.

The wryneck was spotted at the Wessex Water plant, between the town and Curry Rivel, in fine meshed nets that are used to capture and tag birds to record their activity.

​The small, sparrow-sized bird is in the woodpecker family and breeds in the Scandinavian forests.

Its name comes from the peculiar way it twists its neck when it is captured.

Doug Miller, 81, of Westonzoyland, near Bridgwater, has been bird-ringing for around 40 years and caught the wryneck in Langport.

He said: "The bird is most likely travelling to Africa for the winter.

"I saw another wryneck two years ago but there have only been two in Somerset in the last 20 years.

"It was so gentle, it is a really calm and collected bird. All birds are really, even the big hawks, so long as you hold them right.

"Langport is a great site, you get hundreds of birds there. It's sheltered and without any disturbances – there isn't really anyone down there or any dogs or animals, and I think they must know that.

"I went down recently and saw about 600 house martins. It's lovely. It is better than a nature reserve in some ways."

The wryneck is in the highest conservation priority category used for birds in the UK.

The categorisation splits birds into three categories of importance – red, amber and green. The wryneck's red category means the species needs urgent conservation action.

The British Trust for Ornithology rings birds at sites such as the Langport sewage works to monitor the populations and survival of all types of birds.

The captures are recorded and the birds are then set free again.

Mr Miller said: "We ring birds in the interests of conservation, but the majority that we get coming through are common birds.

"I look forward to the next unusual bird to arrive at Langport – almost anything is possible."

Andy Mears, Wessex Water's resident bird expert, said: "Any recoveries of the rings provide valuable information on movements and can help conservation researchers."

To see a video of the wryneck visit www.thisissomerset.co.uk.

http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Rare-visitor-drops-Scandinavia/story-17110907-detail/story.html

Rare birds already showing up on half-finished new reserve in Somerset

Photo: Wikipedia

Rare birds arrive before diggers finish creating new Somerset nature reserve
September 2012. A rare white-rumped sandpiper is the latest unexpected arrival on the Steart peninsula in Somerset. It is currently recovering on a flooded field, despite being surrounded by one of the biggest construction projects in the south west. The bird, which has been blown off course on its migration from Canada to South America, has been attracting bird watchers since the weekend. 

Creating one of the UK's largest wetland reserves
It is the latest in a string of rare birds to be spotted, prompting speculation about the peninsula in Somerset, which is being transformed into one of the country's largest wetland nature reserves.

Tim McGrath from Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust has been working closely with the Environment Agency, which is creating the nature reserve before handing it over to WWT to manage. He said: "It is rather unexpected. We're in the middle of construction so there are a number of very large diggers rumbling around the site. There's one small field that hasn't drained and it has been simply teeming with birds over the last weeks, despite being surrounded by all this hubbub.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/steart-rare-birds.html

 More information on the white-rumped sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis):

https://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?tx=619

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3050