Westhay Moor

Westhay Moor

by Jeff Bevan · Published 9th October 2023 · Updated 19th October 2023

Daggs Lane Drove Bridge – Westhay Moor, Somerset, UK. ID MG_4983

Recently I have been visiting Tealham, Tadham and Aller moors. They are fabulous, but they have a neighbouring moor connected to them via the North Drain. This neighbour can only be Westhay Moor. So today, I spent a few hours at there enjoying the sunshine.

Old Farm House – Westhay Moor, Somerset Levels, UK. ID MG_5005

Westhay Moor is rightly famous for its wonderful nature reserve. Below is a typical view from one of the bird watching hides on the reserve. Less typical were the 11 great white egrets standing around the edge of a single pond. Shame that they are not all in the picture.

Great White Egret – Westhay Moor, Somerset Levels, UK. ID MG_6993

Also rare was the sight of bittern swimming. I did not realise they could do this.

Bittern – Westhay Moor, Somerset Levels, UK. ID MG_7270

Being a bird the herons chose a more traditional approach to getting around.

Heron – Westhay Moor, Somerset Levels, UK. ID MG_8007

In the beautiful October sunshine there were lots of dragonflies out and about.

Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea) – Westhay Moor, Somerset Levels, UK. ID MG_5236

I recently purchased a Canon R10 camera and a Canon RF 100-400 f5.6-8 telephoto lens. This is relatively cheep combination. But it is amazing, and easily allowed me to photograph the dragonflies darting around.

Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea) – Westhay Moor, Somerset Levels, UK. ID MG_5226

And finally…

One of the big differences with the other moors is its history of peat extraction which has been restored to wetland.

This is work that is still ongoing.

Westhay Moor Peat Restoration – Westhay Moor, Somerset Levels, UK. ID IMG_7017

Not far from the North Drain the SWT are attempting to re-create the fen landscape. This not quite the bog landscape that would have been here in the past. But it should be big improvement over the improved farmland that is there at the moment.