Somerset Wildlife

Sandy, I wonder if anyone goes to watch the starlings at Westhay? In fact the nature reserve there is wonderful for rare birds and wildlife. I do watch Nature Watch.

Oh where's Westhay? Is it RSPB? I should have a look and perhaps add it as a listing. A few years ago we had the starlings in Chard - made the tea time news. They were/are absolutely stunning and one day I even pulled up in my car to watch them

OK,I've looked Weshay up, as you say, nature reserve. I'll have to go over there one day and have a look. Sounds lovely.

I visit Westhay regularly, the evening murmuration is amazing but the morning 'rise' is worth getting up for.
The RSPB do conducted walks around the reserve on certain afternoons (you can catch the starlings at the end of the walk) ending up with soup and home-made cookies at a nearby hotel.... It's a treat!!!!

That sounds like great fun. I would love to try that. I must make an effort to get to Westhay

Nature Watch. I have a community owl box in my barn but no sign of an owl yet. I have left lots of apples on the ground for visiting birds. Flocks of them came for apples when we had a snowy winter two years ago. I have also
left plants in the garden until the spring so that insects can over winter in them. Any more ideas? Sandy I think that Westhay is Somerset Wild Life. There is a Starling Help line which tells you when and where the starlings are there.

I bought a nesting box and a camera to put up in the spring - hope you have some luck with the owl!

I have cut the end off a fizz bottle and filled it with rolled up corrugated card for insects. You need to secret it away somewhere and have it sloping downwards slightly so that water doesn't collect in it. Trouble is you can't see if the "hotel" is inhabited without disturbing it, but I live in hope. I was encouraged to do that when I was husking some of my cobnuts - between the husks and nuts were loads of ladybirds resting up for the winter. I felt so guilty .

Sadly I've not got down to Westhay tut. Maybe I can make it in the New Year.