Month: August 2018

Some extra photos from yesterday’s trip to RSPB Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve.

When you haven’t had much luck with your bird photos surely the best place to go is the Somerset Levels which rarely disappoints.

Avalon marshes with Glastonbury Tor in the background

Today was a much fresher day but it was really beautiful at RSPB Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve. We were often sheltered from the fresh breezes but fully benefited from the sunshine.

Close up of a buzzard

Great white egret

The skirmish between marsh harrier and buzzard

Juvenile great crested grebe

Great white egret

Even the mallards looked their best in the sunshine

At RSPB Ham Wall we enjoyed the frequent sight of great white egrets and little egrets and then were entertained by the scuffle between marsh harriers and a buzzard. But the most exciting moment was at Shapwick Heath where we saw an osprey fly in with its supper and pose confidently on its post and devour its prey.

Osprey with its supper

The journey there and back was also a sheer delight through the British countryside at its best.

Click below for gallery of photos from today

It’s been over a month since I have done a bird blog due to other commitments and a lack of opportunity; even on the odd occasions I have been out birding  I have failed to produce a blog due to there being few birds or having poor photos. However, I spent a pleasant morning today at New Passage on the Severn Estuary and at Pilning Wetlands.

The tide was a little too low for good photos but with my telescope I did get good views of  plenty of waders on the mud (mainly black-tailed godwits, redshank, oystercatchers, a little egret  and a curlew. I’m sure real birders would have noticed more but I’m more and more convinced I’m a photographer having a go at birding.

Good to catch the yellow feet of the little egret

Curlew amongst the black-tailed godwits

When I moved to the wetlands I could see yellow wagtails by the cattle on Northwick Warth but, looking in to the sun, it was difficult to make out much, except for some pied wagtail amongst the Canada geese.

Yellow wagtail to the right of the cow

A lovely morning though in the sunshine and with very little breeze.