Welcome to the Lincolnshire Wash Reserves recent sightings, being posted a whole day early as I'm away tomorrow and don't want you missing out. Plus it's choc full of photos to make up for a word only round up last week.
We'll start with our surprise of the week which arrived, very briefly, in the form of a Little Stint. While not unusual to get them on the reserve it is an interesting time of year for a record. These are migrant birds and they should be well south of here at this time of year. Not that we're complaining of course and it gives us something to look though the scores of Dunlin for.
There were two other highlight birds this week. The first was a stunning Red Kite on the 2nd that was picked out from quite a distance away top the north and was watched by everyone in the visitor as it slowly drifted closer and finally squeezed itself onto the reserve via the north west corner of the reed bed. As mentioned last week I was in the Visitor Centre trying to beat Dan's total from the previous week and I notched up 50 birds on the Saturday and 60 on the Sunday, of which the Kite was the pick of the bunch. If you want to see what our full list was the all you need to do is click here. Unlike the Red Kite our final highlight was a new bird for the year and was seen from the currently seldom visited, unless you're the 360 excavator, East Hide. A Water Pipit was feeding in among the mess and mud and although not seen after it was first reported on the 4th, there's a good chance it will still be around so worth a walk round that way.
Red Kite - Toby Collett
It was still business, and very good business at that, as usual across the reserves with lots of niceties still hanging on and around. The Great Northern Diver was still present on the Freiston Lagoon till the 4th at least and patience can reward you with some excellent close up views.
Great Northern Diver - Paul Sullivan
The Whoopers and Bewicks Swans continue to feed in the fields next to Swanholme Lane. Ian managed to get some excellent pictures of them together (two Bewick's at the front) and orchestrated it so our two colour ringed birds mentioned last week were also in the frame. Good skills Ian!
Whoopers and Bewick's Swans - Ian Ellis
The 4 White-fronted Geese continued to play cat and mouse around Marsh Farm, with many visitors missing them on the first look and often catching them as they're just about to leave. Interestingly a flock of 11 were seen on the 31st though they didn't join our resident 4 to make things a bit easier when looking for them.
European White-fronted Geese - Ian Ellis
4 Egyptian Geese were a surprise on the 2nd but only stayed 5 minutes before being spooked and heading into the wash. Fortunately they were back again on the 3rd, moving between the scrapes and Marsh Farm.
Egyptian Geese - Toby Collett
Other lingerers include the 5 Snow Bunting and drake and duck Scaup on the reedbed. The buntings are as elusive as ever but the male Scaup is slowly acquiring his silver mantle so becoming a bit easier to find.
Dark-bellied Brent Goose ringing details
Big thank you for the team at www.geese.org for letting me share the information from my colour ringed Brent Goose that I had a few weeks back. The map and data above gives a fantastic insight into the journeys the birds we take for granted travel. With over 5,000 brent geese between Frampton and Freiston there must be a few more colour ringed birds out there so please do keep an eye out and let the guys at the Tracked Marked Geese website know.
And finally, apologies once again for harping on but please please PLEASE, do try and make a visit at anytime during the day, but especially towards late afternoon to gaze in wonder at our wader spectacular. I've tried to capture the feeling of 8,000 birds whooshing metres above your head but my picture at the bottom was only a snap shot. If you're lucky enough to get as close as Ian did then you'll not only be in for a visual treat but an audio one too as the thousands of Golden Plover call in chorus, creating the perfect Frampton soundtrack.
Golden Plover - Ian Ellis
Wader bonanza - Toby Collett
Enjoy your weekend everbody and good birding.
The more you're out the more you see - https://twitter.com/BoyWonderBirder
Thanks, Toby.