pmh0606617

Jul 152 min read

On the Level

Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve

Julia and I have just completed a week in Somerset on the Avalon Marshes. This expanse of land, once a vast wetland that was first drained before the Doomsday Book and "reclaimed" for agriculture. The area was renown for the production of peat, which started as early as Roman times when it was used as a fuel source. In the 1960's the extraction of peat took on a more commercial appeal when it was first used in horticulture. Since the turn of the century, with reduced demand for peat and an awareness of the need to conserve the area, with its wildlife, most of the land has been allowed to reflood and is now owned and / or managed by Natural England, The Hawk and Owl Trust, Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Our week was spent at a variety of sites, Ham Walls RSPB Reserve, Grey Lake RSPB Reserve, Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve and the Somerset Wildlife Trust nature reserves at Catcott and West Hay. All of these reserves have hides and a good network of paths exploring the various habitats. As always we spent our time looking for, at and photographing birds and other wildlife.

The first few days were overcast, but we still managed to see most of the birds species which inhabit the levels; Bittern, Marsh Harrier, Cattle, Little and Great White Egrets, Bearded Tit, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Hobby to name but a few. On the sunnier days, dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies and crickets took centre stage. We saw fifteen species of dragonfly / damselfly, mostly along the Walton Trail at Ham Walls; Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure, Variable and Red-eyed Damseflies, Banded Demoiselle, Four-spotted Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common and Ruddy Darter, Southern, Brown and Green-eyed (Norfolk) Hawkers, Emperor and Lesser Emperor. Butterflies included Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Comma and Silver-washed Fritillary, plus grassland species such as Small Skipper, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet. Pride of place amongst the crickets goes to the UK largest species Great Green Bush Cricket;Dark Bush Cricket, Speckled Bush Cricket and Short-winged Conehead were also seen.

Mammals didn't feature much, but quality made up for quality with an Otter seen at Shapwick Heath and Greater Horseshoe Bats in Cheddar Gorge.

Map off the Avalon Marshes Nature Reserve - you can download a copy from https://avalonmarshes.org/explore/plan-your-visit/maps-and-guides/

Herons

Grey Heron, Bittern, Great White Egret, Little Egret and Cattle Egret

Marsh Harriers

Great-crested Grebe

Passerines

Top left: Reed Warbler (with Red-eyed Damselfly)

Top right: Wren

Bottom left: Reed Warbler (with Red-eyed Damselfly)

Bottom right: Juvenile Reed Warbler

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Top left to bottom right: Southern Hawker; Southern Hawker, Southern Hawker; Common Darter; Ruddy Darter; Common Blue Damselfly; Banded Demoiselle; Blue-tailed Damselfly; Blue-tailed Damselfly; Blue-tailed Damselfly; Variable Damselfly; Common Blue Damselfly and Four-spotted Chaser.

Butterflies and Moths