|
Burnham on Sea
Seafront
The beach here
is an extension of Berrow/Brean. South of the beach it tuns into
the Brue Estuary. The seafront is one of Somersets better seawatching
sites. Locals gather in a completely un-sheltering shelter between
the lifeboat station and the Brue. Wind conditions are critical
and best times are during a very strong westerly gale that's turned
north-west. These conditions are needed to blow birds into the
Severn Estuary, then into the Burnham bay area. The beach itself
is also worth checking for Mediterranean Gull and waders. A Kentish
Plover spent several winters here in the past.
Regular:
Sea birds in right conditions; Med Gull; waders.
Specials:
Wilsons' Petrel; Semi-palmated Sandpiper.
The Brue Estuary
Just south of Burnham
is the Brue Estuary. The River reaches a sluice at Highbridge,
above which it is fairly birdless. However the Brue south of the
sluice has been host to loads of good water birds - waders, gulls,
terns etc.
Park at the south
end of Burnham seafront, free only in winter. Alternatively park
in the Apex Park car park and walk to the Brue through the park.
Regular:
Spotted Redshank, Med Gull, waders.
Specials:
Wintering Spotted Sandpiper several years running; many rare waders
and ducks; White-winged Black Tern; Pied Wheatear (see this!)
Apex Park
This is a amentity
park with a lake surrounded by a small fringe of reeds. Gulls
come to bread at the car park as do a selection of tame 'plastic'
wildfowl. The lake has breeding Great Crested Grebe, and it attracts
terns etc during gales. The park usually holds a few wintering
warblers.
The adjacent Burnham
Holiday Village also has some attractive lakes, and the birds
usually go between the two.
Regular: Kingfisher,
unexpecteds!
Specials:
Little Bittern; Laughing Gull; Serin.
|
