Having only ever had a taster of the Somerset levels from a brief
Saturday visit earlier in the year and with no autumn holiday previously booked,
it seemed like a great place to get away too for a few days as a change of
scenery without having to travel too far. My previous visit to the RSPB’s Ham
Wall reserve had been late on a March afternoon and although promised much, the
weather came in and sightings were at a minimum. So having the opportunity to
visit again with a bit more time on my hands was a promising prospect.
Unfortunately the weather was very similar to last time with most
afternoons grey and overcast, although this time the wildlife on show was a lot
more obliging. Working a 9-5 weekday job doesn’t often bring the chance of
visiting reserves during the week. But oh how I wish I could do that more
often, there were hardly any people around and those that were, were there for
the wildlife and not to walk the dog or keep the kids entertained like the
usual weekend crowd I encounter.
It didn’t take too long as I entered the reserve before I got a
glimpse of a Somerset levels specialist, a very brief flyover by a Great White
Egret, always an elusive tick in north Hampshire. It seemed like I was gorging
myself on reed bed dwellers as a few minutes later the first of at least half a
dozen Marsh Harriers wheeled its way over the tops of the path side standing
reed.
With Marsh Harriers in my sights and well within camera range, I
quickly headed down to the Tor View hide, situated smack bang in the middle of
the reedbed. With great views across the levels to Glastonbury Tor and almost a
360 degree vantage point, it was the perfect place to scan for Harriers.
As the afternoon went on Marsh Harriers of different ages both male
and female glided effortlessly over the rows of reed. Hunting and hovering like
beautiful angels of death, hanging motionless in mid-air as they sought out
prey. I longed for some better light, it never came, but I really couldn’t complain
about the great views these majestic birds of prey were giving, all just metres
out from the hide.
As light levels dropped even more and the prospect of tens of
thousands of Starlings starting to arriving to roost, the adult female was
joined by a stunning creamed capped, slate-blue winged male, who happily alarmed
the resident Teal as he joined the fray. Dropping down low enough on occasions
so I could capture his cracking plumage.
The Marsh Harrier wasn’t the only species making regular flights
over the stands of reed, Ham Wall is a great place to see Bitterns and I was not
let down from the Tor View hide as several made extremely short flights from
one stand of reed to the next. Appearing only inches above the cover as they
swiftly disappeared amongst the next band, it was real if you blinked you
missed it kind of birdwatching and It took me a little while to get a clear
shot as anticipating the movement was the biggest challenge.
There was plenty of other waterfowl on display throughout the
afternoon, with Great crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Shoveler, Teal, Mute Swan and
plenty of Cormorants alongside the ever present background exploding soundtrack song of the Cettis
warbler. I even managed to catch the thousands of Starlings coming into roost,
unfortunately they didn’t feel too much like performing and dropped down into
their roosting spots with minimal fuss. There is always next time!
All in all a nice couple of afternoons spent enjoying some of the
levels finest species. I can’t wait to get back there again soon and hopefully
in some better light to enjoy the awesome aerial displays of the Marsh Harriers
and maybe catch a better view of the Starling murmuration.
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