Starling Trail
Ham Wall Car Park
For many years cars squeezed into the small car park between Shapwick Heath and Ham Wall. When it overflowed during starling season cars would line the narrow road. Then the RSPB announced they were going to build a new car park.
With building work limited to avoid disturbing the wildlife it seemed to take a very long time to build. Finally it opened a couple of years ago. Now with toilets, bird feeders, picnic tables, ponds, sculpture walk and the Welcome Building, the RSPB have created an asset for the area. Manned by RSPB staff and volunteers whose help has transformed our visits to the starling murmurations.
Time to re-visit a year of this wonderful car park.
Grey Start
Having finished work for Christmas I headed to Ham Wall. The starlings have been a bit all over the place and with grey skies the car park was the only place to watch. With its open skies its the control centre monitoring (some say co-ordinating) the starling flocks as long lines of birds fly in all directions around the Avalon Marshes.
A large flock flies passes over the car park – directed by RSPB staff.
Back In Summer
The car park was a mecca for oxeye daises and red campion.
Start of the Year
Back at the start of 2017 we had beautiful weather. The heron sculpture is the first to welcome the dawn.
The resident swans in the car park pond stretch their wings.
One Minute
On a cold winter’s day the willow pike was white with frost.
One minute later and the golden light of dawn does its miracle.
Back to Today
From the car park we could see the starlings doing their thing over Waltons Heath.
And Finally…
Time to leave the car park and welcome another day on the reserve.