Garden Wildlife UK

So, as promised (threatened) Thursday came to be as a right belter of a day weather-wise, and despite having a lie in, I was still at Ham Wall shortly before 7am. The light was golden, the air was crisp, and the birds were abundant! Part 1 is just a smidge over an hours worth of stuff I saw!

Hope you enjoy

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCNy4o

Wowsers!!!! Bittern just sitting there like they do!!! So much going on for just an hours work PB. No av seen your cetti's warbler no need for me to go find the singing one at the Haugh that they are all raving about!!! Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous

That's a great haul you have there PB.

Linda257 wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 10:47 pm Wowsers!!!! Bittern just sitting there like they do!!! So much going on for just an hours work PB. No av seen your cetti's warbler no need for me to go find the singing one at the Haugh that they are all raving about!!! Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous

Thanks Linda, apparently the Bittern had been sat there for about 20 minutes before I'd got to the hide lol Now's the time of year to go on a Cettis hunt, skulky little beggars... we can even hear them down the Trailway but never seen hide nor hair of one down there, but they are so loud the voice could be coming from miles away lmao

Willpar wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 11:30 pm That's a great haul you have there PB.

Thanks William, I'm certainly well chuffed with the amount I saw

So much activity PB, it was very quiet on my visit back end of last year the hide was shut as well. Great photo's of the bitten, a few years since I have seen one and never that close. Only an hour

Stunning set of phonos. Bittern the undoubted star of the show with Marshie a close second.

SnappyMac wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2026 9:27 am So much activity PB, it was very quiet on my visit back end of last year the hide was shut as well. Great photo's of the bitten, a few years since I have seen one and never that close. Only an hour

The hide was shut until a couple of weeks ago, I think Snappy, firstly by flooding then bird flu possibilities as there were owls finding their way in I think.

Jacksparrow wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2026 7:45 pm Stunning set of phonos. Bittern the undoubted star of the show with Marshie a close second.

Thanks Jack. I think one of the volunteers said when they did their booming bittern count a few weeks ago, there were 11 different ones!