RSPB Ham Wall and NE Shapwick Heath : 27th April 2014
Another unpromising day weather-wise but we did not let this put us off. We decided to go back to RSPB Ham Wall and NE Shapwick Heath but this time we started at the far end of the Shapwick Heath reserve, first dropping into the Avalon Marshes visitor centre first for a cup of tea (horrible) and a loo stop (necessary). We then walked down the main road to the entrance at the opposite side of the reserve from our usual starting point. We walked down the ride of the river before taking the path into the woods that has a large reed bed on one side and a woodland on the other. As it was rather dull there wasn’t as much bird song as we expected but there was constant Reed Warbler song and as we walked down the path a black crow rose up from the reeds and started bothering a Marsh Harrier. The whole thing was very close but brief. About a kilometre down this path we came to the Covert Hide from which we could hear Cetti’s Warblers calling and a faint Cuckoo call and a booming Bittern could also be heard. A Great White Egret flew over and disappeared down the marsh.