Shapwick Moor Nature Reserve

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Shapwick Moor Nature Reserve Hawk and Owl Trust, Shapwick Moor Nature Reserve in Somerset

Shapwick Moor needs your help!Volunteers are the lifeblood of the reserve. We are deeply grateful to the many skilled, k...
09/10/2026

Shapwick Moor needs your help!

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the reserve. We are deeply grateful to the many skilled, knowledgeable and enthusiastic people who help us care for Shapwick Moor.

How our volunteers make a difference:

Throughout the summer, the Reserves Team has repaired bridges and gates and weeded around newly planted trees and hedges. Meanwhile, the Monitoring Team has carried out weekly butterfly counts, regular dragonfly surveys and aquatic invertebrate monitoring. As winter approaches, the Reserves Team will turn its attention to willow management.

Join the Shapwick Moor team:

We are looking for new volunteers, with opportunities available on our Welcome Team and Walks and Talks Team. If you enjoy sharing your passion for the natural world, one of these roles could be ideal for you.
• Welcome Volunteers: Based on the reserve, you will chat with visitors about wildlife sightings and the work of the Hawk and Owl Trust.
• Walks and Talks Team: You will help to lead walks on the reserve and deliver talks to schools and local groups.

Interested? Email Reserve Warden Alex at [email protected]

Goldfinches are flocking to Shapwick MoorLarge flocks of Goldfinches are currently visiting the reserve. They can be see...
07/10/2026

Goldfinches are flocking to Shapwick Moor

Large flocks of Goldfinches are currently visiting the reserve. They can be seen feeding on seed heads in the fields and occasionally from the Barbara Handley Hide.

We have counted as many as 100 of these striking birds. Their lively calls and colourful plumage make them a delight to watch!

Their slender beaks help them extract hard-to-reach seeds from thistles and teasels. This adaptation gives them access to food that other birds cannot reach.

Thank you to everyone who joined our latest Well Women Walk!We explored the importance of hedgerows, including how to ag...
03/10/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined our latest Well Women Walk!

We explored the importance of hedgerows, including how to age and manage them and identify the species they support. We also learnt that wearing a sprig of crushed elder leaves behind your ear can ward off mosquitoes, while blowing through a hollow elder twig can sound like an owl hooting!

Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and enthusiasm for nature!

To join our next Well Women Walk, visit our website: https://members.hawkandowltrust.org/Event-Registration/EventId/257

As we have shared over the past few years, the Trust has been working with Wessex Water on its integrated wetland projec...
29/09/2026

As we have shared over the past few years, the Trust has been working with Wessex Water on its integrated wetland project adjacent to Shapwick Moor National Nature Reserve.

This week, Wessex Water hosted a regular on-site update for the Trust. We had an informative tour of the progress so far and heard from Wessex Water staff and contractors about the work ahead.

Construction is nearly finished and the water control structures are now in place. The grass areas will be sown next. We hope the wetland will begin to fill with water over the winter, ready for planting in the spring.

We look forward to sharing more as the wetland develops.
Wessex Water

Autumn Wreath Workshop at Shapwick MoorCrisp mornings, turning leaves and hedgerows full of berries - it’s shaping up to...
23/09/2026

Autumn Wreath Workshop at Shapwick Moor

Crisp mornings, turning leaves and hedgerows full of berries - it’s shaping up to be a glorious autumn here in Somerset!

We're creating some new experiences on the nature reserve to share the spaces and welcome even more people, including creative workshops, starting with an autumn wreath making day.
Come and join us as we celebrate the season of mellow fruitfulness and make your own autumn wreath. Kate from Forestel will guide you through the design and making process to create a seasonal wreath full of natural texture and colour, using seed heads, berries and other materials gathered from the surrounding hedgerows and land. You can choose to create either a beautiful autumn-themed wreath or a spooky Halloween-inspired wreath.

We’ll also head out onto the reserve to gather a few extra seasonal finds before settling into the making session.

Thursday 22nd October, 10am- 2pm
Price: £35 members, £40 non-members

For more information or to book: https://members.hawkandowltrust.org/Event-Registration/EventId/281

Well Women Walk- Shapwick MoorJoin us on Monday 28th September for our first autumn morning Well Women Walk 10-12noon.Me...
21/09/2026

Well Women Walk- Shapwick Moor

Join us on Monday 28th September for our first autumn morning Well Women Walk 10-12noon.

Meet a group of like-minded women who enjoy getting out and about in nature. This walk we will be celebrating the humble hedgerow, learning about the different plant species found in a hedge, the bounty of berries and nuts to be found at this time of year and the animals that depend on them. After our walk join us for a hot drink in the wood cabin.

For more information and to book: https://members.hawkandowltrust.org/Event-Registration/EventId/256

As the survey season draws to a close, the final transect surveys at Shapwick Moor Nature Reserve provide an encouraging...
18/09/2026

As the survey season draws to a close, the final transect surveys at Shapwick Moor Nature Reserve provide an encouraging snapshot of local lepidoptera populations.

The standout success of the late-season counts has been an exceptional influx of Clouded Yellows (Colias croceus). We noted unusually high numbers darting across the open moorland and feeding on remaining the thistles, making it one of the best years locally for this vibrant migrant species.

Painted Ladies (Vanessa cardui) have also maintained a fantastic presence right through the late summer. Their steady numbers across the reserve reflect a strong migration year overall, with individuals frequently spotted utilising thistle patches and late-blooming flowers.

Resident species such as Meadow Browns and Speckled Woods are now giving way to overwintering butterflies like the Red Admiral and Brimstone as cooler weather sets in.

Thank you to all of our volunteers who carry out our surveys and collect valuable data to help inform the management of our reserves and contribute to national data collection.

Kestrels at Shapwick Moor Earlier on in the year we were watching a pair of Kestrels nesting in one of our Barn Owl boxe...
14/09/2026

Kestrels at Shapwick Moor

Earlier on in the year we were watching a pair of Kestrels nesting in one of our Barn Owl boxes on the reserve. This pair successfully bred, and three chicks fledged from this nest box. This box has been used in previous years, but the Kestrels keep us guessing, spending time in this box, in nearby trees and sometimes in other kestrel boxes on the reserve.

The fledglings hung around for a long while, learning to hunt and making a lot of noise, although think they have now moved off. There is an adult pair still very active on the reserve, often seen hovering over the long field margins.

This winter we will carry out our regular box cleaning and maintenance to ensure the boxes are in good condition and put up a new Kestrel box in neighbouring land so there are plenty of nesting options for them next year.

Well Women Walk- Shapwick MoorJoin us on Monday 28th September for our first autumn morning Well Women Walk 10-12noon.Me...
10/09/2026

Well Women Walk- Shapwick Moor

Join us on Monday 28th September for our first autumn morning Well Women Walk 10-12noon.

Meet a group of like-minded women who enjoy getting out and about in nature. This walk we will be celebrating the humble hedgerow, learning about the different plant species found in a hedge, the bounty of berries and nuts to be found at this time of year and the animals that depend on them. After our walk join us for a hot drink in the wood cabin.

For more information and to book: https://members.hawkandowltrust.org/Event-Registration/EventId/256

Our recent Well Woman Walk at Shapwick Moor provided us with a wonderful opportunity to experience the Reserve’s local w...
02/09/2026

Our recent Well Woman Walk at Shapwick Moor provided us with a wonderful opportunity to experience the Reserve’s local wildlife and changing landscapes as we move from Summer to Autumn.

We spotted roe deer with their young grazing quietly in the fields, a hare, a Kestrel and some egrets. As dusk settled near the lake, we used bat detectors to tune into the hidden world overhead. The detectors successfully picked up the activity of both pipistrelle and daubenton's bats as they foraged over the water and above the trees. September is here and, for bats, mating season begins. Males of most species use special calls to attract females, and we were picking up some clicking on our bat detectors!

We gathered back at the Barbara Handley Hide, still listening out for bats, where we enjoyed hot drinks, fairy cakes, and gingerbread.

Our next Well Woman Walk will be on Monday 28th September when we will be switching back to morning walks, starting at 10 am in the Hawk and Owl car park.

For more information or to book: https://members.hawkandowltrust.org/Event-Registration/EventId/256

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Shapwick Moor Nature Reserve, Station Road
Bridgwater
TA79NW

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