Thornbury U3A Birdwatching Group
Outing to RSPB Ham Wall, 8th June, 2026
The number of members on this outing was somewhat lower than previous years, perhaps because of the forecasts of rain and wind, but also several people were away from home. In the event, the rain started clearing around 10.00 am so it turned out to be (mostly) a reasonable day albeit rather breezy. As with previous years, members had the option of an early start (8.30 at Ham Wall) or the normal start departing Thornbury at 9.30.
Most opted for the later start, but two of us were up early and managed two Bitterns in flight and a small flock of Black-tailed Godwits all from viewing point one, and Marsh Harriers near the Avalon Hide. Additionally, the early rain didn’t seem to deter the songsters during our walk through the reserve – the area seemed to be alive with song.
Once the full group was assembled, we went first to viewing point one, where the highlights were Common Terns, Great White Egrets, and Bitterns (booming but not visible). A Kingfisher also flashed past us on the south side of the old railway track, but sadly was only seen by one person. From the viewing point, we walked to the Avalon Hide, finding a range of Warblers singing en route (Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler). At the hide we had views of Crested Grebes with their young (known as humbugs because of their black and white striped juvenile plumage), as well as Marsh Harriers, a Buzzard, several Lapwings and a singing Reed Bunting.
We returned to the railway path (the track that runs through the centre of the reserve). A few of us walked a short way in the Glastonbury direction in the hope of finding cuckoos and were rewarded by the familiar cuckoo call but sadly didn’t get a view of the bird. We did, however, see our first Hobby of the day. Returning along the path, we went to the Tor View hides and apart from the regulars such as Great Crested Grebes, Black-headed Gulls and so forth, we had several more sightings of Hobbies to the east of us, with the added interest of Glastonbury Tor in the background. There were also huge numbers of four spot chasers, (dragonflies) flying above the water and resting on the foliage.
Finally, on the walk back to the car park a group of people were looking over the railings of the bridge and drew our attention to a magnificent Grass Snake sunning itself, coiled in and out of the wire and stones of the gabions supporting the footings of the bridge.
50 Species
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Swift (Apus apus)
Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Great White Egret (Ardea alba)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Hobby (Falco subbuteo)
Magpie (Pica pica)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Cetti's Warbler (Cettia cetti)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin)
Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Dendy
