North Hill
This is an area of heathland and farmland, reaching upwards and out from Minehead headed towards Porlock Hill, and is such a peaceful and beautiful place to be. Covered in heather and gorse, it's colourful too, with pockets of woodland, and offering glorious sea and countryside views.
Birds: Dartford Warblers, Buzzards, Ravens, Coal Tits, Long-Tailed Tits, Robins, Swallows, Martins, various gulls, Wrens, Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Treecreepers, Wheatears, Stonechats, Dunnocks, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks.
Horner
With a river and a woodland stream, this place feels quite magical. There are all the usual woodland birds, plus the bonus of river birds...
Birds: Dipper, Grey Wagtail, woodland birds...
Dunster Beach
Waders on the shore and a whole host of birds at the back of it, Dunster Beach is a lovely area. Easy to walk along the back of, with a links golf course behind part of it, big boulder pebbles for birds to nestle amongst, and flocks of birds to provide targets for others...
Birds: Wheatear, Linnet, Pied Wagtail, Buzzard, Rook, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, Gulls, Curlew, Sanderling and Ringed Plover.
Porlock Marshes
An area accessible from Bossington or the beach nearby, or from Porlock Weir (though parking isn't free there). A tidal salt marsh, which used to be freshwater - strange looking place, as the trees that used to live in the freshwater have died now, and parts resemble an elephant's graveyard.
Have to be careful of tides, and slippery surfaces, and stupid dog-owners who can't read signs about keeping their pets on a lead, but a rewarding place.
Birds: Wheatear, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Curlew, Goldfinch, Linnet, Oystercatcher (beach), Swallows, Martins, Buzzards and gulls.
Minehead
Even the town itself has something to offer. With countryside behind it, marshes at one end, heathland / wooded hills at the other, a sandy and pebbled beach and a muddy harbour, there's a good chance to see any number of different birds.
Birds: Buzzards, Kestrels, Peregrine Falcon, Gulls (inc Great Black Backed), Oystercatchers, Pied Wagtails, Wheatears, House Martins, Swallows and at night, you can hear owls in the wooded hills!
I love the area, and it's not too bad in terms of a journey from the Midlands. If anyone plans to go there, don't hesitate to ask me about the best places to head for, or what to look out for.
Finally, here's a few shots from the week.
