Montacute, Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath Nature Reserves 1- 5 April 2025
We drove down to Bristol on the 3rd April and stayed there for a night before moving on to Montacute in Somerset. On our way down we saw lots of Buzzards, a Kestrel and we also got two Red Kites, seen whilst having a cup of tea at Gloucester Services South. On the trip we also saw the first Swallow of summer.
We stayed at our friends’ house in Montacute for a couple of days and in their garden we got a good range of small garden birds including Coal Tits, Chiffchaff and a year tick Greenfinch.
While we were staying in Montacute we had a day out at the Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath Nature Reserves. It was a lovely day and the birds were in full voice with Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Robins, Blackbirds, Wrens, Chaffinches and Tits all competing for the loudest bird-song.
Bitterns boomed all the while we were there. Ducks included Gadwall Pintail, Pochard, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon, Mallards and Tufted Ducks. There were Great-crested and Little Grebes and uncountable numbers of Marsh Harriers. There was a Great White Egret and several Little Egrets and a Grey Heron. A few Ruff were a nice addition to the few waders we saw. Unfortunately both the Garganey and the Glossy Ibis that were reported earlier in the day didn’t show for us.
We went on to the Shapwick Heath side of the site but there wasn’t much there; the Osprey of the previous day was reportedly not showing, and we didn’t add a great deal to our bird list on that side of the road. Nevertheless, over the two sites, we got thirty-six species and year tick Bittern (heard), Willow Warbler and Blackcap.
Bird Sightings : Montacute and En Route 1 – 4 April 2025
| Species | No |
|---|---|
| Blackbird | 1 |
| Blue Tit | 1 |
| Buzzard | 6 |
| Chiffchaff | 1 |
| Coal Tit | 1 |
| Goldfinch | 1 |
| Great Tit | 1 |
| Greenfinch | 1 |
| House Sparrow | 2 |
| Jackdaw | 7 |
| Kestrel | 1 |
| Magpie | 2 |
| Red Kite | 2 |
| Robin | 1 |
| Swallow | 1 |
| Woodpigeon | 2 |
| Wren | 1 |
Bird Sightings : Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath 5 April 2025
| Species | No |
|---|---|
| Bittern | 1 |
| Blackcap | 3 |
| Blue Tit | 2 |
| Canada Goose | 20 |
| Carrion Crow | 3 |
| Cetti's Warbler | 3 |
| Chaffinch | 4 |
| Chiffchaff | 2 |
| Coot | 40 |
| Cormorant | 5 |
| Gadwall | 6 |
| Great Crested Grebe | 2 |
| Great Tit | 2 |
| Great White Egret | 1 |
| Grey Heron | 2 |
| Jackdaw | 20 |
| Lapwing | 4 |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | 6 |
| Little Egret | 3 |
| Little Grebe | 1 |
| Mallard | 30 |
| Marsh Harrier | 10 |
| Moorhen | 8 |
| Mute Swan | 4 |
| Pintail | 3 |
| Pochard | 2 |
| Robin | 3 |
| Rook | 30 |
| Ruff | 3 |
| Shoveler | 8 |
| Teal | 20 |
| Tufted Duck | 20 |
| Wigeon | 20 |
| Willow Warbler | 2 |
| Woodpigeon | 4 |
| Wren | 1 |