Another drama in our household this week as Miriam suffered a very heavy fall and ended up in hospital with a broken collar bone and badly cut legs. This leaves me with time on my hands as someone else then takes over her full time care and as the afternoon rota for visitors was full and I wasn't going to see her until the evening I made plans to visit the levels for a few hours.
I left home around 6:50am and arrived at Shapwick at 7:45am just as it was stating to get light. I walked out to the decoy hide, a fair distance and the last couple of hundred metres on a very muddy path. Needless to say I was the only occupant of the hide as the weather was cold and wet.
I was after the pair of Smew that had been seen here yesterday. First though I was pleased to see the ten Whooper Swans that have over wintered on the levels.

Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

 It wasn't long though before all ten took off and flew east.

Soon after the Swans departed I saw what I'd hoped for when a redhead smew appeared, although too far away for any photo's. I'd just reported the sighting when checking again saw that the drake was now showing also. So my target bird was in the bag and the added bonus of the Whooper's made it a good start to the day.
I then drove around to Catcott Lows and spent a half hour in the hide taking pictures of ducks. I'd also not seen another birder since arriving on the levels nearly two hours before.

Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

Pintail (Anas acuta)

Teal (Anas crecca)

Next stop was at Ashcott Corner where I walked out to Noah's lake. I was hoping for Great White Egret but it was all too quiet. I did see another birder though. After visiting the tower hide I crossed over to the Meare Heath hide hoping for Lesser Redpoll in the alders but maybe because of this Sparrowhawk they were all elsewhere.

Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

I then walked over the road to Ham Wall RSPB Reserve and scanning from the old railway bridge I could see a large egret in the reeds but not enough for a clear ID. There was also a Marsh Harrier quartering the reeds.
I carried on to the view point and was lucky that a Great White Egret dropped in almost straight away.

Great White Egret (Egretta alba)

I then decided to make my home but via Cary Moor to try for Tree Sparrow but there were very few birds on the reserve and I had my first dip on the day. I packed up and started for home but a message saying that the Hawfinches at Norton Sub-Hamden were showing just as I was driving past had me diverting to the Churchyard.
The light was very poor for photos, which was the reason for going a third time, but I did manage a couple of record shots.

Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)

Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)