March 31st: Displaying Marsh Harriers

Finally, we've had a few lovely sunny days down on the Avalon Marshes. The spring weather is having its predictable effect on the resident birds, and thoughts are clearly turning to the breeding season. The highlight of recent walks has been the impressive display of the Marsh Harriers. The first sign of something special is a distant strange squeaking call which has everyone looking around in all directions trying to see where it is. More often than not, looking directly up into the sky reveals a tiny dot which under closer inspection turns out to be Marsh Harrier gradually descending as part of its display. The display, known as skydancing involves all sorts of acrobatic loop-the-loops, flips and stoops as the bird descends avidly before stalling rapidly and dropping into the reed bed.

Male Mash Harrier apparently cruising along quite normally.....

.....before suddenly pulling a gravity defying flip.

This display really has to be seen in real life to be appreciated. The best spots are the first viewing platform at Ham Wall RSPB, and near the bridge to Meare Heath on Shapwick Heath NNR.

As well as breeding activity, a trickle of incoming migrants is another sign of spring. Up to 44 Black-tailed Godwits are now commuting between the reserves, though they seem to be struggling to find suitable feeding habitats.

Black-tailed Godwits showing off their distinctive and striking upperwing pattern

All the shallow water is frozen early in the mornings, not great for feeding!

And finally, a beautiful blue sky, obscured only by a male Pochard rattling past