Ouzeling

View of the Somerset Levels from the stunning Draycott Sleights, Somerset, 6/4/13

Last weekend I managed to fit in a last minute trip down to Somerset and back. It was a lovely weekend; the weather provided a kiss of life, all spring-like and fresh, I saw bright, smart looking butterflies on the wing for the first time in ages - Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, and Brimstone. I also visited the pub that's on the cover of the Good Pub Guide 2013 (nice pint of 6X but Pea Sorbet anyone?)

Invariably the sunny conditions prompted plenty of bird activity and the levels were full of song. I even saw my first House Martin of the year, moving north across the blue sky as I waited for RSPB Ham Wall's mega Pied-billed Grebe to show on Saturday lunchtime. After finding myself alone at its favoured area, it was thanks to a passing photographer who pointed out the grebe's distant call that I eventually managed to connect with the elusive yank. The call was remarkable - a distinctly un-Grebe like grunting 'Oo oo oo' (some neat video here) and by following this, after an hour of patiently watching the reeds, I was able to get some decent views. It's not spectacular but it's a nice-looking bird with the pale, chunky bill of its name, large eye and sturdy neck giving it a 'top heavy' appearance. It was clearly behaving in a territorial manner and I admired it's eagerness to chase off a pair of (much larger) Shoveler. Unfortunately, with its nearest potential mate probably several thousand miles way, its unlikely to have much luck in Somerset but still, apparently there is a UK record of a similarly vagrant bird producing hybrid young with our own Little Grebe! Pretty amazing.

Despite bagging a lifer before lunch, it wasn't actually the grebe (or the pea sorbet) I'll remember the trip for - rather it was a wonderful encounter with a scarce but ultimately much more common UK visitor on the slopes of the Mendip Hills earlier that morning.

I've only ever had fleeting views of Ring Ouzels so to find a field full of them in close proximity at SWT's towering Draycott Sleights reserve in the hills was special. With good numbers reported the previous week I thought it might be worth a visit and although it took some time to coax the car up the steep lane and figure out the fields and limestone outcrops of the site, it soon turned up great views of the 'mountain blackbird'. Over the course of an hour or two, myself and another local birder out ouzeling caught up with numerous birds dotted across the slopes. There were handsome males with their distinct white gorgets and, with a similar dymorphism to Eurasian blackbirds, the brownish females with their paler markings. And what could be better than gazing at Ring ouzels on a sunny hilltop in spring? Howabout a couple of wheatears thrown in with them for good measure....a great morning and since it's not every day I get to see ouzels, here are some dubious photos to celebrate it a very fine bird indeed...

An Ouzeling wonderland...

Male Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus), Draycott Sleights NR, Somerset, 6/4/13

Female Ring Ouzel - you can kind of see its browner tone and paler throat...
More obvious here is the silvery sheen  on its wing which shows up well in certain light conditions

A Wheatear, hooray.

Roll on Spring...