Martin's Bird Blog & Nature Photos

Tag: RSPB Greylake

  • 6th and 7th August 2026 – Avalon Marshes, Somerset

    6th and 7th August 2026 – Avalon Marshes, Somerset

    Cattle Egrets were first reported to have bred in Britain in 2008, with two pairs nesting in Somerset. We have just spent the last two days birding on the Avalon Marshes in Somerset and saw large numbers of these birds at Catcott Marshes and RSPB Greylake. The colonisation that is taking place is probably due to climate change and with the continuation of this wonderful summer it certainly feels like there is a massive shift in our climate.

    Cattle egret at Catcott Marshes

    Cattle egret at Catcott Marshes

    Cattle egrets often spend time close to livestock like sheep and cows and grab the insects and worms their hooves disturb.

    Cattle egret

    Cattle egret

    We also regularly saw great egrets and little egrets which not so many years ago were also rare visitors to the UK.

    Great egret at RSPB Greylake

    Little egret with great egret behind at RSPB Greylake

    Yet, once again, the star of our birding on these two days were kingfishers which we saw regularly flying in front of the hide at RSPB Greylake.

    Common kingfisher

    Common kingfisher

    Common kingfisher

    Common kingfisher

    Common kingfisher

    There were also good views of water rails at Greylake.

    Water rail

    Water rail

    From this small reserve we also saw marsh harriers (rather distant) and grey herons and a reed warbler.

    Grey heron

    Grey heron mingling with the egrets

    Reed warbler

    Marsh harrier

    At RSPB Ham Wall there wasn’t a lot extra for us to see except for a common chiffchaff, great crested grebes and plenty of dragonflies and butterflies.

    Common chiffchaff

    Great crested grebe with its off spring

    Red admiral butterfly

    Migrant hawker

    But the best of them all was my namesake in French – “Martin Pêcheur”.

    Common kingfisher – Martin pêcheur in French

    If you are ever in these parts we can highly recommend The Swan at Wedmore where we stayed overnight.

  • 19th November 2024 – RSVP Greylake, Somerset

    19th November 2024 – RSVP Greylake, Somerset

    Although there was snow forecast for north of Bristol and reasonable weather forecast for mid Somerset, I was disappointed to set off in rain and sleet. It didn’t rain all day but it was pretty miserable throughout; it was quite testing seeing birds and even more challenging photographing them.

    I headed for Catcott Lows as there is a hide where you can park close by; but when I arrived I found it was closed as they were “managing” the trees on the lane leading to the hide. I continued further south to RSPB Greylake, a small reserve where, again, I wasn’t going to get drenched reaching the hides.

    There were big numbers of lapwing, wigeon and teal. Best of all there were quite a few snipe close to the hide, a water rail and an occasional marsh harrier.

    Wigeon

    Teal

    Lapwing

    Common snipe

    Snipe

    Marsh harrier

    Marsh harrier

    Marsh harrier

    Lapwing

    Common snipe

    Water rail

    Teal and snipe

    Wigeon

    On the way home I saw large numbers of little egrets and cattle egrets in the fields. Also, large numbers of starling were congregating and I thought it was a shame I couldn’t stay later to see the magnificent sight of the murmurations before they roost. But there again, I don’t think the views would have been too wonderful as the bad weather set in again and the light would have been very poor.

    Cattle egret

    I stopped very briefly at Cheddar Reservoir where I saw large numbers of pochard. I certainly didn’t stay long as it was only 2 degrees centigrade and definitely felt much colder with the wind blowing off the water.

    Pochard

    Meadow pipit

    Grey wagtail looking as cold as I felt