Two visits to the Somerset levels.

I cant keep looking on birdguides and social media every night and see other peoples sightings and photos without getting that pang of envy, especially when its a rare bird I've not seen before and its not a million miles from home, so it was with the drake Baikal Teal which had been at Greylake on the levels for a while ( I missed it last year as well ). So on a bit of a whim I decided to drive up earlyish one morning . An unusually sunny day, I arrived at Greylake to join a few other birders/photographers, ( not been here before, a nice easy site with hundreds of ducks). The Baikal Teal did'nt show for some time untill a bird of prey put up the whole flock, which when coming back to the water, I located it swimming around with the Common Teal. An unmistakeable bird with that fancy head pattern, it should be wintering in Southern Asia but seemed quite at home here. Also seen from here were two Common Crane, a distant Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, and lots and lots of Gadwall, Common Teal and Wigeon. I managed some record shots of the Baikal and the Cranes and got some nice flight photos of the Gadwall. I then took a quick look in at Ham wall where after a long walk I found the Ring Necked Ducks and a Marsh Harrier flew directly over head in the car park. A second trip , this time in the van with Joyce, staying three nights near Glastonbury. One day for me and a drive over to Cattcott lows where a male Hen Harrier had been hunting in recent days, another wait and eventually it showed albeit a bit distant, and it was joined by a female for a short time. I got a few distant record shots but was content just watching through the bins ( always hoping it would come closer though ) , also a Spotted Redshank showed in front of the hide, and a Great Egret was photograped in the marshes. The next day was Joyce's day so a hike up to Glastonbury Tor from the campsite and then into the town which always has a few charecters around to aim your lens at. The last day , before going home we spent a couple of hours at Ham wall,where for once I was in the right place at the right time as four Glossy Ibis were close to one of the viewing screens feeding and preening. Also took some pics of Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swan and Cetti's warbler

Spoonbills.

RSPB Bowling Green Marsh at Topsham in Devon has had two young Spoonbills gracing the site for some time now, another chance to see them and this time they were actually not sleeping! A little further away than I would have liked but still some o.k. photos.