CORMORANTS, GANNETS, HERONS AND EGRETS - Cormorants have always been regular winter visitors to the area from 93 and now a days there presence is being ever more recorded. Grey Herons, well there is always at least one resident heron in the area. This is a common and widespread species. To the other extreme in 1963 a major rarity was recorded in the area…a single gannet! More than 15 miles from the sea this is an extraordinary sighting! Meanwhile, Little Egrets are also unusual and one of the exotic species. Just over thirty years ago these were a major rarity in the UK, but are now widespread throughout Southern England's wetlands. With a hand full of records they are not regular but with an ever-increasing population in Somerset I expect to see more of these stunning birds.

 SWANS AND GEESE - Mute Swans (left) regularly breed here with eight cygnets being raised last year. Canada Geese are regular but scarce birds with small influxes normally below six most common in early spring. TDBC even tell me of a record of Bean Geese being present in the area. This is an extreme rarity and the origin is unsure, probably escapee. Greylag Geese are scarce birds and with one record way back in 93 and increasing buildings in the Leisure Complex I don't expect to see this species here in the future.

 DUCKS - This covers many species as the Hankridge List has had fourteen species visited and recorded there! Mallard are the commonest duck species and are guaranteed from numbers between 10 - 20 in winter and well over 40 in late summer. Next is the regular winter Teal. The views you get are amazing and numbers vary between 3 and 25+. Tufted Duck, Shoveler and Wigeon are all next with the odd sighting some winters. Finally are the rarities Gadwall, Pintail, Pochard, Gooseander, Common Scoter (with a single recorded in 96 which remained for four days.), Shelduck, Mandarin, Muscovey Duck and Ruddy Duck.

 BIRDS OF PREY - Raptors are quite widespread here in Somerset and Hankridge is no exception. Buzzards, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks are all residents. Hankridge also has a good list of migrants. A Hobby in 93 and 03 Marsh Harrier in 97 and a Merlin in 98 are all very scarce birds in the Taunton area and with global warming on the increase who knows what will turn up next. Then in 2003 a new species was added to the list a Peregrine Falcon, since then the bird has been seen on numerous occasions normally perched on the pylons or posts. According to a TDBC publication Osprey have been recorded along the River corridor.

 GAME BIRDS - At the other extreme game birds are extremely rare within the Hankridge area. The only game bird record is a male pheasant seen back in the early 1990's in a field by the lake.

 CRAKES AND RAILS - Another limited species with the area is the crakes and rails. Moorhen and Coot being the only two resident species, and the latter has rarely been seen in great numbers or every month of most years. The other rail is a scarce winter visitor and has been recorded all year. In 2003 we got amazing views of this normally shy bird the Water Rail (right), despite this there is normally at least one present in the area in winter. The major rarity was a Spotted Crake that was recorded on migration.

 WADERS - The area has good potential for attracting good waders and in the past it has. The most common species seen most years on migration are the two sandpipers - Common and Green the latter being much scarcer. The rest stated have also been recorded in recent years, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Greenshank & Little Stint. Jack Snipe was recorded from 94 until 96... until B&Q was built on the site! Common snipe were also recorded in large numbers (excess of 50 sometimes) on the same site but now are seen occasionally when the lake is being dredged or in harsh weather conditions.

 GULLS AND TERNS - Gulls are here the majority of the year ranging from Black Headed Gulls in winter, and Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls seen throughout the year regularly. Common and Great Black Backed Gulls are scarce in the area but a couple sightings a year are regular. Common Terns are scarce passage migrants and there has only been limited records. TDBC have informed me of Sandwich Tern passing through on a few occasions and the TDBC publication even states that Black Tern have been sighted along the river corridor on migration.

 OWLS - The only recorded owl species has been Barn Owls that were recorded in 1991 as a local resident just outside the site. Now due to further development they are presumed extinct from the area. The nearby fields probably hold Little Owls although this species and Tawny have yet to be recorded.

 SWIFTS, KINGFISHERS AND WOODPECKERS - The Common Swift is a regular summer visitor and has been since the creation of the lake. Likewise the kingfisher is a regular visitor throughout the year. The Green Woodpecker is a scarce visitor but does breed nearby. Meanwhile the slightly commoner Great Spotted Woodpecker is reasonably regular in winter and harsh weather conditions when we get an individuals from the Blackdown Hills.

 PIGEONS, DOVES AND CUCKOOS - Woodpigeons are very numerous in the area especially in winter. They often congregate on the pylons within the fields. The commonest and only species regularly recorded is not as common as you may think. Collared Doves have on my records anyway decreased in recent years within the area. While back in Taunton they are regularly seen. The scarcer Stock Dove is present in small numbers but I have still failed to see this resident! The only record of a Cuckoo was back in 95, this was the only sighting but the area has the potential to attract this increasingly scarce species in future years.

 LARKS, MARTINS AND SWALLOWS - Skylarks are regularly seen within the area especially in the fields near the main road. This species may vanish due to increasing development but the all time high of this species was in November 2004 with a total of 5. House Martins and Sand Martins both breed in the area and the latter is surprisingly more abundant with a peak count of between 14 - 18 most years. Swallows (left) are a common summer visitor over the lake and along the Tone.

 PIPITS AND WAGTAILS - Meadow Pipits can be seen in winter in the fields below the M5 Junction. Pied Wagtails are regular and resident visitors just as its cousin is. The Grey Wagtail breeds in the area and is frequently seen, it may even be commoner than its cousin at certain times of the year. In 95 there was a single record of a White Wagtail which is a scarce spring visitor.

 WAXWING, WREN, ROBIN, DIPPER AND ACCENTORS - Waxwings are scarce winter visitors to the UK and Hankridge has been visited by this species twice in four years. In 2001 seven visited Taunton, and they were recorded for a couple days in bushes opposite Mcdonald's! Then in 2005 at least 81 visited and stayed for several weeks off and on in the area (see the waxwing pages.) Wrens, Robins and Dunnocks are among the most widespread small birds here and are seen on most visits through out the area. Dipper used to be present in small numbers but are now a major rarity and there has not been a sighting for many years, probably due to increase disturbance, reduced habitat and straightening of the Tone.

 CHATS AND STARTS - With no sightings of Stonechat since 97 we thought we had lost this species then in 2003 a female was spotted and was regularly seen in 2003/4/5. This could be the last individual remaining in the area. (see 2005 photo page.). Even rarer, with just one record back in 1995 the Black Redstart breeds nearby but is a major rarity to the site. These family of birds are rare and a major rarity for the area. A female Redstart was recorded here in April 2004 which was a first for the site. Whinchats and Wheatears have both been recorded but are once again scarce.

 THRUSHES - You can't miss these birds especially in winter with masses of Song Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare all present in the fields and trees. Even more common and present all year is the Blackbird. The rarest of the common thrushes is the Mistle Thrush which can be best seen in winter in small numbers normally bordering the fields.

 WARBLERS - If you visit the area in summer you will be bombarded by the song of various warblers. The area has a healthy population of Sedge and Reed Warbler. There is always smaller numbers of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Whitethroat. Cetti's Warbler are occasionally seen and heard with a single present for over a year in 2001 - 2003, and regular records in 04/05 and 06. The Lesser Whitethroat is much scarcer but is rumoured to breed nearby, my first was in May 04. Finally the last warbler is a scarce spring migrant with two sightings - the Grasshopper Warbler is the rarest recorded warbler.

 FLYCATCHERS, TREECREEPERS, CRESTS AND TITS - Spotted flycatchers are occasional migrant visitors, and in 2006 two adults and a juvenile were seen and made us presume they had bred in the area. Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tit are all resident and common throughout the year. While a single and first sighting of a Coal Tit for the area was a major rarity! Goldcrests are regular in winter and there has been a single sighting of a Treecreeper in 03. Nuthatches probably pass through the area, although this species has yet to be recorded.

 CROWS - Rook, Jackdaw and Carrion Crow are all resident and very widespread in the area. But there is a new crow in town, a much tougher and bigger bird from the crow family...the Raven! Ravens have been heard and seen calling from within the Hydrographic grounds and I spotted Hankridge's first bird flying over in 2003.

 STARLINGS AND SPARROWS - Both the House Sparrow and Starling (right) are widespread, yet not as widespread as the tits and finches. But they are still regular and common.

 FINCHES -The commonest and most widespread all year are the Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Chaffinch. Still regular, in winter anyway is the Bullfinch, which can sometimes be seen within the vegetation along the bank of the lake and in Children's Wood. Linnets are reasonably scarce but have and will be seen most winter on the verge of the fields opposite Children's Wood. Finally the two scarce species are Siskin and Redpoll which have both been recorded on odd occasions.

 BUNTINGS -Finally the last bird family and the only species from the bunting list recorded here is the Reed Bunting. This species was regular in winter but is now a major rarity to the area and has not been recorded since 2001.