Somerset Levels

The Somerset Levels is a Ramsar-designated wetland covering an area of about 650 square kilometres south of the Mendip Hills, best known for their impressive winter starling murmurations.

Lying just an average of 6 metres above sea level, the Somerset Levels are prone to winter flooding and were historically managed for peat which formed mostly about 6,000 years ago. The Levels are part of a ‘reclaimed’ landscape and attempts to manage the water levels have been made since Roman times. The drainage channels, known locally as rhynes (pronunonced ‘reens’) that we see today were largely built in the 17th century under the direction of a Dutch drainage engineer.

In winter, the Avalon Marshes attract thousands of waterbirds including wigeon, pintail, lapwing, golden plover, teal and curlew. The presence of so many birds attracts the attention of raptors such as marsh harrier, hen harrier, sparrowhawk, merlin and peregrine, and in spring these are joined by hobbies

Most recently the Avalon Marshes have been host to the UK’s only breeding little bitterns and black-crowned night herons. In spring, they are accompanied by sedge, reed and Cetti’s warblers and bearded tits.

In late spring, specialist flora of lowland wetlands found here include water violet, marsh pea, frogbit, milk parsley and tubular water dropwort. In early summer the rhynes are teeming with dragonflies including hairy dragonfly, four-spotted chaser, red-eyed damselfly and large red damselfly. A particular attraction for birdwatchers is the chance to see hobbies taking advantage of this early emergence, and catching dragonflies on the wing.

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