A Week in Somerset - Pastures New 1

Following the relaxation in rules we took the opportunity to book a weeks self-catering in Somerset just 15 minutes from RSPB Ham Wall and the Avalon Marshes. We were out and about a fair bit, visiting old haunts; RSPB Ham Wall, Shapwick Heath and Cheddar Gorge, but we also visited a couple of new places that we had never been to in the last 9 years since making Somerset one of our favourite birding places.

In this post I'll concentrate on those two, of course getting in to the second half of July the birding is a lot quieter as most of the birds are not singing so much and the adults are trying to regain some strength after looking after the young ones. So they are much more difficult to spot and find with some exceptions of course.

So I'll start with a visit to the Hawk and Owl trust reserve at Shapwick Moor, adjacent to Shapwick Heath. It's a cracking little reserve with two hides, the first is tiny overlooking the heath, the second much bigger with plenty of bird feeders and shrubbery. We saw very little from the first hide; Buzzard, Kestrel, Grey Heron, Tits, Robin and Dunnock, but it was a good spot on a hot day to have a coffee. There you go, third paragraph before I mentioned coffee! Of course at this time of year there were plenty of butterflies and dragonflies about, but not always the easiest thing to photograph.
Starting with butterflies; a Comma,

 Ringlet,

 a couple of Swallows,

a Speckled Wood,

 Meadow Brown,

 the view from the small hide, with a Buzzard perched on the tree stump and a Grey Heron to the left of the woodpile

 and a Red Admiral

 We talk the longest way around to the next hide through a flower meadow, this was quite good for Dragonflies and Poppies.

 Black-tailed Skimmer,

 Emperor,

 Gatekeeper,

 this could be a Ruddy Darter, but I'm not sure.

There was much more bird life at the second hide because of the feeder;
A female Pheasant hiding under a bush,

 Chaffinch,

 Chiffchaff,

  Wren,

 and Willow Warbler.

In addition we saw a couple of Great Spotted Woodpecker flying through, plus Blue and Great Tits. There were plenty of Brimstone butterflies and no people!

On the walk back to the car, we had a great sighting of a Grass Snake:

The highlight of the day!
Finally a few Whitethroat turned up while we had a bench stop. (No coffee!)

Back at our 'cottage' we sat outside enjoying the Sunshine, a glass of Wine for Tina and a cracking pint (or two)  of Swords & Sandals (IPA) from Spartan Brewery! (Took a 5 litre minikeg with us.

The garden was quite busy with Swift,

House Martins, Swallows, Buzzard, flying over and regular visits from Pied Wagtail,

and aircraft of all sorts!
P51D Mustang,

 Airbus A400,

 and a DHC Chipmunk!

River Weaver, Winsford

Last weekend we headed up to Winsford to stay at Tina's Sisters for a few days, we went for a couple of walks along the river Weaver and a longer walk around the Sandiway Lakes nearby. Followed by a day out to South Stacks on Anglesey.

Jo's Garden and the river resulted in a good number of garden and woodland birds, Finches, Tits, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Pheasant whilst the river walks added Heron (quite a large Heronry near her house), Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, plus the usual Black-headed Gulls and other water fowl:

 On one of the walks through the woods we discovered a pair of Buzzards nesting, great to see

A big surprise though was when I nearly trod on a grass snake on the riverside path, it then slithered into the river, just about managed to get this as it swam away: