We'll start this week with where we left off last week and that's with our mystery bird/wing.
Well done to all those who guessed that it was the wing of a female Pintail. Here is what they look like when they're attached to a body.
Pintail - Neil Smith
And so to the sightings. The big news this week was our record count of Whooper Swans on the scrapes at Frampton with 251 on the morning of the 5th. 5 Bewick's Swans were also in with them as they moved around the reserve before heading to their usual feeding spot just south of the cross bank.
We've seen a huge drop in both Wigeon and Teal numbers as birds start to leave us and head back north and west to breeding grounds. Not everything has left just yet though and visitors are still enjoying the pair of Scaup (joined by a second male on the 6th) on south scrape and the 4 European White-fronted Geese on the Marsh Farm wet grassland.
Teal - Neil Smith
A Spotted Redshank on the 6th was our best wader of the week, though I'm sure the 16 Avocet that are now with us would disagree. There's a very good chance that this number has gone up already while I'm writing this, such is the rate with which they're arriving. Many of these are paired up already so I'm sure nest making is just round the corner. Another sign of spring this week was an absolute cracker jacker of a Black-tailed Godwit in full breeding plumage. Can't wait to see more of these guys over the coming months. Like the Wigeon and Teal, Golden Plover and Lapwing numbers are slowly dwindling, with wintering birds of the latter departing, leaving a core breeding population which we hope will appreciate all the hard work we've done for them over the winter. Their noisy tumbling display is wonderful to watch on a sunny day and these conditions are often best to really admire their plumage and see why they are also called the Green Plover.
While Golden Plover numbers are falling, the opposite can be said for Dunlin. With the high tide at the end of last week we estimated their to be over 1,500 across the reserve. Hopefully a sign of high survival rates over the mild winter. Ruff and Ringed Plover have also been more noticeable this week with plenty moving between the reedbed and scrapes.
Raptors have once again featured heavily this week with Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine and Marsh Harrier seen daily. A 'grey ghost' male Hen Harrier quartered over Marsh Farm late on the afternoon of the 6th and we had two very close Buzzards on consecutive days over the scrapes on the 4th and 5th.
The Black-headed Gulls are certainly back in force with over 600 on the reedbed and scrapes. They obviously like the refurbished islands so we can now look forward to the their constant calling being the backing track to the Frampton summer.
Black-headed Gull - Neil Smith
It's been a good winter for Water Rail and one has been showing very well around the paddock to the north of the Marsh Farm reservoir. A second bird was seen skulking around the ditch behind Mount Hirons (the little bench overlooking south scrape) so they may well pop up anywhere. Keep an eye out.
Our resident birds are now in full summer mode with displaying, singing and nest building already going on. Now's a great time to learn some bird song before our migrants return and two of the easiest are reserve regulars. The Reed Bunting has a call that reminds of the Alka-Seltzer 'plink-plink-fizz' adverts, though this is more to do with the structure of 'call-call-flourish' rather than the actual sound.
Reed Bunting (this is a female so you won't hear her sing) - Neil Smith
The Goldfinch is another to listen out for with it's constant tinkling and twittering. These are best listened for round the back of the reedbed and also along the public footpath to the south west of the reserve.
Goldfinch - Alan Crofts
Well that's it for this week everyone. Short and sweet. Have a great weekend and enjoy your birding.
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