Somerset Ornithological Society

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Home How to Join Photo Gallery Bird News Club News Where to go Birding County List Rarity Decisions Talks Walks Links		EXMOOR NATIONAL PARK Click here to open up a map of the site. Note that you can move around the area by using the buttons around the map and enlarge or reduce the scale by using the buttons below the map. Click on your back button to return to this page. MAP REFERENCES O.S. Landranger 181 Minehead & Brendon Hills area O.S. Outdoor Leisure 9 ExmoorCar parking for Horner SS898455 and Webber's Post SS902439 INTRODUCTION Large areas of open moorland and oak wooded valleys, mostly with free access. Some parts, however, are restricted but these are largely away from the popular areas and contain nothing that cannot be seen elsewhere. ACCESS For the woods above Horner, park in the village car park and walk south following the path beside Horner Water into the wooded valley. Alternatively, for the more open areas, park at Webber's Post and follow the footpaths towards Dunkery Beacon. By careful planning it is possible to cover most habitats in a circular route. SPECIES TO BE SEEN The wooded valleys in winter tend to be quiet, with only the residents present, apart from wintering thrushes and woodcock. It is possible to find all three species of woodpecker here, lesser spotted are scarce but become easier to find as spring approaches. Small numbers of willow tit are still present but becoming more difficult to locate. Most of the larger streams have resident dippers and grey wagtails. Few species are seen on the open moorland in winter but one or two hen harriers may be found quartering the moor in the Dunkery / Wilmersham Common area. It is not unusual to come across a merlin sat on top of one the roadside hawthorn bushes. Golden plover winter and numbers increase in spring, with flocks of over 100 reaching summer plumage before leaving in May. Around Webber's Post small numbers of siskin and redpoll are found throughout the year, with occasional crossbills feeding in the large conifers around the car park. A few pairs of breeding curlew arrive back on the tops in March. However, it is in spring and early summer, when the summer visitors arrive back, that Exmoor comes into its own. The oak woods come alive with the song of redstarts, pied flycatchers and wood warblers, all of which are present in good numbers. On the fringes of the woods tree pipits are found. Stonechats and the colonizing dartford warblers are joined by whinchats and northern wheatears on the open moor. Ring ouzels can be still found in small numbers in the combes of the central area of the moor. The red grouse population has dwindled and is probably on the verge of extinction so you would be extremely lucky to see one. On summer evenings nightjars can be found churring in the Webber's Post area, but are easier to find further to the east, around Croydon Hill. One or two hobbys are often seen hunting the slopes around Dunkery. Rarities are scarce on Exmoor, but honey buzzard, Montagu's harrier and golden oriole have been recorded in recent years. TIMING The best months are April through to June when most of the woodland and moorland species are obvious. Early mornings, before parties of walkers ascend on to the moor, are the easiest to locate singing species such as ring ouzel. Dunkery Beacon just after dawn is recommended if you want to experience peace and solitude, apart from the skylarks, and it used to be the best time to hear red grouse but, alas, I fear no more. OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST Exmoor has a large population of red deer and a walk across the area around Dunkery should result in good numbers being seen, particularly in the early morning. It has recently been found that the Horner area is nationally important for bats, with a survey locating 14 different species including the very rare Nathusius's pipistrelle, the not quite so rare Barbastelle and the little known Bechstein's. The oakwoods are also important for a large and diverse moth population. Small populations of heath and high brown fritillaries exist, but the weather conditions of the last few years have reduced numbers. Brian Gibbs
(c) Somerset Ornithological Society

EXMOOR NATIONAL PARK

Click here to open up a map of the site. Note that you can move around the area by using the buttons around the map and enlarge or reduce the scale by using the buttons below the map. Click on your back button to return to this page.

MAP REFERENCES

O.S. Landranger 181 Minehead & Brendon Hills area

O.S. Outdoor Leisure 9 ExmoorCar parking for Horner SS898455 and Webber's Post SS902439

INTRODUCTION

Large areas of open moorland and oak wooded valleys, mostly with free access. Some parts, however, are restricted but these are largely away from the popular areas and contain nothing that cannot be seen elsewhere.

ACCESS

For the woods above Horner, park in the village car park and walk south following the path beside Horner Water into the wooded valley. Alternatively, for the more open areas, park at Webber's Post and follow the footpaths towards Dunkery Beacon. By careful planning it is possible to cover most habitats in a circular route.

SPECIES TO BE SEEN

The wooded valleys in winter tend to be quiet, with only the residents present, apart from wintering thrushes and woodcock. It is possible to find all three species of woodpecker here, lesser spotted are scarce but become easier to find as spring approaches. Small numbers of willow tit are still present but becoming more difficult to locate. Most of the larger streams have resident dippers and grey wagtails. Few species are seen on the open moorland in winter but one or two hen harriers may be found quartering the moor in the Dunkery / Wilmersham Common area. It is not unusual to come across a merlin sat on top of one the roadside hawthorn bushes. Golden plover winter and numbers increase in spring, with flocks of over 100 reaching summer plumage before leaving in May. Around Webber's Post small numbers of siskin and redpoll are found throughout the year, with occasional crossbills feeding in the large conifers around the car park. A few pairs of breeding curlew arrive back on the tops in March. However, it is in spring and early summer, when the summer visitors arrive back, that Exmoor comes into its own. The oak woods come alive with the song of redstarts, pied flycatchers and wood warblers, all of which are present in good numbers. On the fringes of the woods tree pipits are found. Stonechats and the colonizing dartford warblers are joined by whinchats and northern wheatears on the open moor. Ring ouzels can be still found in small numbers in the combes of the central area of the moor. The red grouse population has dwindled and is probably on the verge of extinction so you would be extremely lucky to see one. On summer evenings nightjars can be found churring in the Webber's Post area, but are easier to find further to the east, around Croydon Hill. One or two hobbys are often seen hunting the slopes around Dunkery. Rarities are scarce on Exmoor, but honey buzzard, Montagu's harrier and golden oriole have been recorded in recent years.

TIMING

The best months are April through to June when most of the woodland and moorland species are obvious. Early mornings, before parties of walkers ascend on to the moor, are the easiest to locate singing species such as ring ouzel. Dunkery Beacon just after dawn is recommended if you want to experience peace and solitude, apart from the skylarks, and it used to be the best time to hear red grouse but, alas, I fear no more.

OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST

Exmoor has a large population of red deer and a walk across the area around Dunkery should result in good numbers being seen, particularly in the early morning. It has recently been found that the Horner area is nationally important for bats, with a survey locating 14 different species including the very rare Nathusius's pipistrelle, the not quite so rare Barbastelle and the little known Bechstein's. The oakwoods are also important for a large and diverse moth population. Small populations of heath and high brown fritillaries exist, but the weather conditions of the last few years have reduced numbers.

Brian Gibbs