Moor than One

Today I started a weeks holiday and what will be three days birding. I started the day at Carymoor near Castle Cary. This area is managed for wildlife and seed eating birds in particular. I left the car at the end of the drove and walked to the 'set aside' field. There were plenty of Chaffinches,Goldfinches and Reed Buntings on show, but I was after Tree Sparrow and it wasn't long before I had located one high up in the hedgerow. There were also plenty of smart Yellowhammers as well.

 A quick look over the pond produced these Little Egrets roosting.
I left Carymoor and headed over to the Somerset Levels.
I stopped at Shapwick Heath car park and first walked out to Ham Wall RSPB Reserve, hearing Bitterns 'Booming' all the time and also catching sight of two flying over the reeds.
Apart from the commoner species of  Duck there was very little else to see so I walked back over the road and out to Meare Heath.

 I could see a Great White Egret standing in the reed bed but it was too far for a photo opportunity so I carried on. The main pool was also very quiet with Teal and Shoveler being the most numerous ducks.

I now walked back to the car but not before I had snapped this flyover Grey Heron.

I now pushed on for the main reason for visiting the levels and drove to Butleigh Moor to see the Short Eared Owls.
I drove out to the furthest point and almost immediately saw an owl quartering the field. I took up position and watched for about an hour as first one then a second SEO flew over the rough pasture.

I managed to get some photos in the gloomy light of these stunning birds, before making my way home