Winter Sightings at Steart Marshes

The start of the new year has seen the site very busy with birds, with a few especially exciting visitors!

The start of the new year has seen the site very busy with birds. There has been good numbers of our usual winter visitors including teal, wigeon, golden plover and lapwing. A least sandpiper was spotted out on Otterhampton Marsh on the 2.1.25. These are very rare in the UK and is a first for Somerset, with only around 50 records in the UK ever. They are the world’s smallest shorebird and are resident to North/Central America. A glossy ibis has also taken a liking to the freshwater pools around the wetland walkway and has been spotted regularly by visitors.

Glossy ibis – Sam Wall, WWT

The site has also been good for owls and birds of prey. A male hen harrier, merlin and short-eared owl are often being seen out on the saltmarsh near the breach. There are at least 2 barn owls that have been spotted hunting out on the reserve early morning and late afternoon. They often hunt at these times when the weather has been too poor for them to hunt overnight.

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