Frampton Marsh

A month full of birdwatching!

2022-04-25T13:45:00Z

If you are a birdwatcher, this May is a great time to visit the reserve. We have a good record of sightings at this time of year, with both resident and migrating birds being seen, including some fantastic rarities.

We are therefore putting on a range of great birdwatching events that run throughout the month.

Sunday 1 May is International Dawn Chorus Day, the global celebration of the symphony of sound that is the dawn chorus. We will be running at Dawn Chorus Walk on the day, starting at 5 am. Led by an experienced guide, you will be able to bask in the ultimate surround sound experience, as warblers, waders, thrushes and more all sing around you, before returning to the visitor centre for a coffee and croissant. Tickets cost £15 and may be bought at: https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/16365

There is more birdsong on offer on Sunday 8 May, with a songbird ID course. You've enjoyed the music, but how do you tell which bird is which? This intimate and friendly course will reveal the tricks of the trade. The course starts at 7am, tickets are £20 each and may be bought at: https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/13673

For some relaxed birdwatching, pitched to your level of knowledge, the Spring Strolls on 8 and 22 May are the events you want. Starting at 10:30am each day, our friendly guide will show you around the reserve in a way that suits you. Tickets are £8 and can be bought at: https://events.rspb.org.uk/browse?filter[schedule]=952

For the enthusiastic birdwatcher we have the Fifty Plus at Frampton, and the Frampton Big Birding Day. These are events designed to see the maximum number of species possible. The former in 4 hours (8am - noon), the latter in a full day (8am to 8pm, with breaks for lunch and refreshments). Led by a knowledgeable staff member the number of species seen should easily top 50 for the half day, and might even reach 100 for the full day! There are two Fifty Plus at Frampton events, on 3 and 20 May, with tickets costing £40 and available from https://events.rspb.org.uk/browse?filter[schedule]=1113. For the Frampton Big Birding Day on 18 May, tickets cost £80 and may be bought at: https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/16392.

Last, but by no means least, we are offering a tie-in with the very popular boat cruises which the South Lincs local RSPB members group run. On 12 and 26 May the cruises run in the afternoon, so we are offering a morning's guided walk around the reserve, with enough time in between to have lunch and make your way to the embarkation point for the boat trip. A chance to see the reserve from both land and sea, in the same day! Tickets cost £8 and may be bough at: https://events.rspb.org.uk/browse?filter[schedule]=1114

All in all, a very busy birdwatching May!

Recent Sightings Now Exclusively on Twitter!

2022-01-13T14:12:00Z

Why wait for a week to find out what has been seen around and about the reserves? All our recent sightings are being posted daily on our Twitter feed. Live updates, and a new sightings map at the end of each day to keep you fully informed. All the site team can use Twitter too, so there should be no gaps in coverage and we will get the news out, all the time. Even if we are out in the middle of the reserve, miles from a computer. We can even respond to questions on there, if something needs clarifying.

How do you access all this? Why, just copy or click the link below.

www.twitter.com/RSPBFrampton

Best of all, you can access this even if you do not use Twitter yourself. We keep our account open, so everyone can see the content. It will work on both computers and mobile devices, so whatever your circumstances you will be able to keep up to date with all the latest from Frampton.

Frampton and Freiston Covid Update 17 May - Hides reopen!

2021-05-16T20:20:00Z

Hello!

I have some good news! With the easing of the covid restrictions as from today I am pleased to announce that we will be reopening the hides at both our Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore reserves. There will still be some precautions however which we ask you to observe:

Seating is spaced out, to allow for social distancing. If you are entering a hide as a bubble or household please sit together. Please do not stand behind or between benches occupied by others, or move benches together.
Please wear a face mask once inside, unless you are exempt
We will have the maximum capacity for each hide clearly signposted. Please be considerate to others. If you are inside a hide that is full, consider allowing others to take your place so they can enjoy the wildlife too. If when you arrive at a hide that is full, please wait outside for someone to leave, or come back a bit later.
We will have hand santiser available for use in each hide

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

As Frampton Marsh is almost fully open (with the exception of the seating area of the visitor centre, which is still closed), the reserve facilities fee will become the full amount of £3 per adult, £1.50 per child. This fee is for use of any of the reserve facilties, including either of the car parks. The car parking fee remains at Freiston Shore, at £1 per car. At either reserve, RSPB members continue to have access for FREE.

We look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Another new face

2021-05-04T10:59:00Z

Eagle-eyed visitors to the reserve may have noticed a new face amongst the staff here at the reserves. That would be Annie, our latest residential volunteer. Let's see what she has to say...

Hello everyone!

I’m thrilled to be joining the team for six months as a practical conservation and visitor experience intern. Having just been at Frampton Marsh two weeks, I can already see what a special place it is. It’s been very eye-opening to see just how much goes into running a reserve and creating such an amazing habitat for all manner of creatures. It’s incredible to have otters, owls, waders and waterfowl all on the doorstep.

I’ve been working in a Reception classroom for six months which was great but I’m now looking forward to swapping the maths curriculum for some outdoor learning (both for any families at the visitor centre, but also for myself!) I’m an enthusiastic newbie to the birdwatching world so if you see me around any tip-offs of what you’ve seen and where to look for it will always be appreciated.

I look forward to meeting you all out on the reserve!

Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore Covid Update: 12 April 2021

2021-04-09T13:15:00Z

Hello everyone!

As we reach the next step of the government's roadmap for exiting Covid restrictions, we'd like to keep you informed as to what the changes will be. Please note especialy the section about hides, as this might be different to what you have previously been told.

Welcome
The visitor centre at Frampton Marsh is not open. You will usually find staff on duty to welcome you either on the veranda of the centre, or just inside the wooden welcome hut.
On the first Tuesday of each month the welcome (and toilets) will not be open until 1 pm, to allow for a staff meeting. The reserve will still be open however.
Given the constraints of the building, with only one way in/out, it is likely that the visitor centre may not be able to open for indoor seating until June at the earliest.

Car parks
All the car parks are open, at both sites.

Reserve Trails
All the trails are open, from dawn to dusk. At Frampton, please close the gates in the anti-predator fence behind you, as it will keep the breeding area free from ground-based predators. Please also be considerate of other visitors. If you want to stop to look at something, step off the path so that others can get by whilst maintaining the 2 metres distancing. There are no one-way systems, we have cut the paths to be wide enough for everyone to get by.

Hides
All the hides are currently closed. We had hoped to reopen hides on Monday 12 April in accordance with Government guidelines, sadly we have to announce that they now won’t be open until 17 May at the earliest. We totally understand this is disappointing for some of our visitors, but it is in line with Government guidance. Throughout the pandemic, we have sought regular clarification from the Government (DEFRA) on what the various guidance means for the different elements of our visitor operations. They have confirmed that hides are to remain closed until 17 May at the earliest. We know our hides are important to many visitors and will have them back open as soon as we are able to.

Toilets
The toilets at Frampton are be open between 10 am and 4 pm daily (with the exception of the first Tuesday of the month, as mentioned above). Please check with the staff on duty if the loos are free and, if not, queue in a socially distant fashion outside. To comply with Covid regulations we will have to close the toilets at times in order to clean them.Please remain patient during this time, we will get them open again as quickly as we can whilst not skimping on the cleaning.

Refreshments
We are offering limited takeaway refreshments between 10 am and 4 pm. We can offer Americano coffee (made fresh with our fantastic Love Nature coffee beans), hot chocolate, and teas (English breakfast, Earl Grey, peppermint, red berry or decaff). We do have powdered almond milk available for our vegan and lactose-intolerant visitors. A variety of cans or cartons of cold drinks are also available. We also have a variety of prepackaged cakes and biscuits. Please make your order with the staff on duty, and pay with a contactless card or device.
We regret that we are currently unable to offer filled rolls, ice creams, or the more exotic coffees like we usually do.

Reserve Charges
The access fee of £1 per car for non-members still applies at Freiston Shore. At Frampton Marsh as from 12 April there will be a fee to use any of the reserve facilities, including the trails, loos, picnic area and both car parks. The initial price will be £2.25 per adult, £1.00 per child (first child and under 5's are free). This is a 25% reduction off the normal price, given the hides are still closed. For reasons as to why we are introducing these charges, please see this blog.

Picnic Tables
The picnic tables are reopening from 12 April, and will once again become free for you to sit at, and enjoy the view. Don't forget our lovely coffee!

Events
We regret that due to Covid restrictions we will not be running an Easter Egg Hunt this year. There will is a FREE trail to follow until 18 April, to discover the mysteries off eggs. However there will be no prize for this.
We hope to bring back a limited events programme soon with small guided walks, and a self-led trail for the May half-term.

We will update this information if anything changes. In the meantime, enjoy the reserve and stay safe everyone!

Changes to Charges at Frampton Marsh

2021-04-08T11:04:00Z

Nature gives us solace and wild spaces to enjoy during hard times, which is why Frampton Marsh has become, and for many has been for a long time, such a special place for people and for wildlife. Whether it’s a stroll along the sea bank to enjoy the wide open Lincolnshire skies, or watching thousands of birds aerobatically wheel over the fields, our work here protects this wild space for generations of wildlife and people alike to enjoy in a whole host of ways.

There’s no doubt that Frampton Marsh is a wonderful place for both wildlife and people, and we've seen a real rise in the number of people appreciating the value of the reserve and enjoying the solace that the nature here brings. Our work maintaining and protecting the special landscape and wildlife of Frampton Marsh so that it is enjoyable for all takes up a lot of a time, effort and resources, and we couldn't do this without your help. That’s why we are so grateful to everyone who supports us here at the reserve and the many who join up as members to help us continue our work.

But, we can’t protect the landscape or wildlife of Frampton Marsh without your help. From 12 April 2021, we’re making some changes.

There is no separate charge for car parking here at Frampton Marsh, but instead, as of 12 April 2021, our per-person entry fees will include car parking in both RSPB car parks as well as use of all visitor facilities including the RSPB trails, toilets, viewing structures and picnic area

Once you've parked your car, please pay in the visitor centre, or use the cairn at the RSPB sea bank car park.

As a charity, we must maximise our opportunities to raise income wherever possible – something which has been especially difficult during the past year. Your financial support allows us to continue with our charitable purpose of conserving wildlife and habitats, while maintaining our visitor facilities and providing excellent, inspiring experiences for our visitors here at Frampton.

The income generated through our charges not only supports the vital conservation work we carry out here to help wildlife, but it also contributes to the ongoing cost of running the facilities visitors use at the reserve, including the picnic area, toilets, trails, hides and both the car parking areas. Making the public footpaths and reserve as a whole accessible to everyone is important to us too, which is why we’ve worked hard to improve the public footpaths across the site, changing them from muddy tracks to something a lot more accessible so everyone can enjoy the beauty of the local landscape and the wildlife that calls it home.

RSPB members will of course receive free use of our facilities as a thank you for regularly supporting our nature conservation work. Thanks to RSPB members we have been able to bring back the elegant avocet to nest after a gap of over 100 years, and provide a winter home for over 17,000 wildfowl. Why not join the RSPB today and get free entry to all RSPB nature reserves across the country?

We’re looking forward to a summer of beautiful birds, fantastic flowers and fun family events, and can’t wait to experience it with you. For the latest news and updates from Frampton Marsh, follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter. We always are very happy to explain our work at the reserve, so if you would like to know more about what we do, and how we will spend the income from the charges, do get in touch through our email lincolnshirewashreserves@rspb.org.uk .

Thank you for your support.

(Aerial photo by Jim Wardill, sunrise and avocet by Neil Smith)

Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore Covid Update: 23 March 2021

2021-03-23T15:15:00Z

Hello!

As I am sure you are aware Covid rates are falling, more people are being vaccinated, and the lockdown rules are easing. So what will all this mean for visiting our reserves at Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore. Below is a quick summary.

Welcome
The visitor centre at Frampton Marsh is not open. You will usually find staff on duty to welcome you either on the veranda of the centre, or just inside the wooden welcome hut.
On the first Tuesday of each month the welcome (and toilets) will not be open until 12pm, to allow for a staff meeting. The reserve will still be open however.
Given the constraints of the building, with only one way in/out, it is likely that the visitor centre will not be able to open for indoor seating until June at the earliest.

Car parks
All the car parks are open, at both sites.

Hides
All the hides are currently closed.

Entry Fees
The access fee of £1 per car for non-members still applies at Freiston Shore. At Frampton Marsh we are not currently charging an entry free. However this is due to be reintroduced soon, probably on 12 April. When this happens the price will be £2.25 per adult, £1.00 per child (first child and under 5's are free). This is a 25% reduction off the normal price, given the hides are still closed. The charge will include use of any of the reserve's facilities, including toilets and the car park.

Events
We regret that due to Covid restrictions we will not be running an Easter Egg Hunt this year. There will be a FREE trail to follow, to discover the mysteries off eggs. However there will be no prize for this.
We hope to bring back a limited events programme from 12 April with small guided walks, and a self-led trail for the May half-term.

We will update this information if anything changes. In the meantime, enjoy the reserve and stay safe everyone!

Covid Tier 4: Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore update

2020-12-30T16:00:00Z

Howdy folks!

As from 0:01 am on Thursday 31 December, Lincolnshire moves into Tier 4 of Covid restrictions. This will therefore include both our reserves at Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore.

In prectical terms, the change of tiers will not have a major effect on what we do. Our hides and picnic benches at Frampton will remain closed. We are also not running most events, though the self-led Christmas treasure trail will continue on 1, 2 and 3 January. We will have a Covid-secure welcome point available daily from 10am - 4pm. This will either be outdoors or from the temporary Welcome Hut. Our friendly team will be on-hand to answer questions and to make your visit enjoyable.

At weekends we are also offering a delicious selection of take-away drinks and snacks, available from our welcome point. Card payments preferred. We regret that we will be unable to offer refreshments during the week, starting 4 January.

We continue to ask that all visitors, except those who are exempt from doing so, please wear a face-covering while in our toilets. If you use the toilets, or come into the reserve, you should do the NHS Track and Trace. The QR code, or contacts slips to be filled out, will be available at the welcome point.

At Freiston, the hide will remain closed, but the rest of the reserve will be open as usual.

In view of the reduced facilities at Frampton the entry charge will remain at the reduced level of £1.50 for adults, 75p for children. The facilities charge at Freiston will remain as £1 per car. RSPB members continue to get free access at both sites.

Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore in Tier 3

2020-12-01T12:44:00Z

Howdy folks!

England leaves this latest lockdown period tomorrow, Wednesday 2 December. For many this means an easing of restrictions. However here in Lincolnshire we are in tier 3 of Covid restrictions. So in practical terms there will not initially be much changing on the reserve.

Our hides and picnic benches at Frampton will remain closed. We are also not running most events, though there may be a self-led Christmas treasure trail. We will have a Covid-secure welcome point available daily from 10am - 4pm. This will either be outdoors or from our new, temporary, Welcome Hut.

Our friendly team will be on-hand to answer questions and to make your visit enjoyable. We are also offering a delicious selection of take-away drinks and snacks, available from our welcome point. Card payments preferred.

We continue to ask that all visitors, except those who are exempt from doing so, please wear a face-covering while in our toilets.

At Freiston, the hide will remain closed, but the rest of the reserve will be open as usual.

In view of the reduced facilities at Frampton the entry charge will remain at the reduced level of £1.50 for adults, 75p for children. The facilities charge at Freiston will remain as £1 per car. RSPB members continue to get free access at both sites.

Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore during Lockdown 2

2020-11-06T10:28:00Z

We know that for many of you, our reserves at Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore provide enjoyment and solace in the natural world throughout these challenging times. In line with Government guidance on essential, daily exercise outdoors, during this second lockdown, our car park, trails and toilets remain open for you to visit. Please follow all current Government guidance around social distancing, who you can visit with, hygiene and follow all signage on-site. We urge you to also follow Government guidance on non-essential travel and please stay local to your nearest reserves and greenspaces.

Our hides and picnic benches will be closed from Thursday 5 November for the duration of this lockdown. We are also not running events. However, we will have an outdoor, Covid-secure welcome daily from 10am - 4pm. Our friendly team will be on-hand to answer questions and to make your visit enjoyable. If the staff member on duty is working inside the centre, please wait for them to come out to you. We are also offering a delicious selection of take-away drinks and snacks, available from our welcome point. Card payments preferred.

We continue to ask that all visitors, except those who are exempt from doing so, please wear a face-covering while in our toilets.

In view of the reduced facilities at Frampton we will be reducing the entry charge to £1.50 for adults, 75p for children. The facilities charge at Freiston will remain as £1 per car. RSPB members continue to get free access at both sites.

Updated info on Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore opening

2020-10-23T12:57:00Z

Hello everyone!

I hope everyone is well and staying safe in these difficult times. We here at the reserves know how much access to natural spaces can mean to people, and are continuing to do our best to operate as normally as possible. At the same time we do have to remain Covid-19 secure, which does place some restrictions on what is possible. With the approaching winter weather there will be fresh challenges ahead too. So please be aware of the current situation at the reserves.

Welcome
The visitor centre at Frampton Marsh is not open. You will usually find staff on duty to welcome you either on the veranda of the centre, or just inside the door. Please show your membership cards or pay your entry fees with the staff on duty.
In bad weather we may not staff the welcome at all, though the reserve (and toilets) will still be open.
On the first Tuesday of each month the welcome (and toilets) will not be open until 12pm, to allow for staff meetings. The reserve will still be open, please check in on your return.

Car parks
All the car parks are open, at both sites.

Reserve Trails
All the trails are opened, 24 hours a day. There are new gates in various places at Frampton Marsh. Please close these behind you, as it will keep the new breeding area free from ground-based predators. Please also be considerate of other visitors. If you want to stop to look at something, get off the path so that others can get by whilst maintaining the 2 metres distancing. There are no one-way systems, we have cut the paths to be wide enough for everyone to get by.

Hides
All the hides are now reopened, with visitors being asked to wear a face covering whilst inside.
There are capacity limits in place, clearly marked on the outside of each hide. There is a maximum of 10 adults inside 360 Hide, 8 in East Hide, and 5 in Reedbed hide, or the hide at Freiston Shore. Please be aware of other visitors, and make way for those newly arrived and looking to use the hide.
Hand sanitiser has been provided for your use in each hide.
Please do not move the benches, they have been positioned to allow for social distancing, and to not block access to the accessible windows which wheelchair users would need to view from.

Toilets
The toilets at Frampton will be open between 10 am and 4 pm daily (with the exception of the first Tuesday of the month, as mentioned above). There are three toilets, one of which is accessible. Please check with the staff on duty if the loos are free and, if not, queue in a socially distant fashion outside. To comply with Covid regulations we will have to close the toilets at 12 and 2 pm in order to clean them.Please remain patient during this time, we will get them open again as quickly as we can whilst not skimping on the cleaning.

Refreshments
Subject to staffing, we hope to offer limited takeaway refreshments between 10 am and 4 pm. We can offer Americano coffee (made fresh with our fantastic Love Nature coffee beans) and teas (English breakfast, Earl Grey, peppermint, red berry or decaff). We do have powdered almond milk available for our vegan and lactose-intolerant visitors. A variety of cans or cartons of cold drinks are also available. We also have Pipers crisps and a variety of prepackaged cakes and biscuits. Please make your order with the staff on duty, and pay with a contactless card or device.
We regret that we are currently unable to offer filled rolls, ice creams, or the more exotic coffees like we usually do.

Track and Trace
It is a mandatory requirement to take part in the Track and trace scheme at Frampton Marsh. If you come into the area of the reserve where you would have to pay an entry fee, purchase refreshments, or use the toilets, please either scan the QR code with your NHS covid-19 app, or fill in one of the contact slips and post them in the box provided. All data will be securely held in accordance with GDPR.

Entry Fees
The access fee of £1 per car for non-members is in force at Freiston Shore. Likewise at Frampton Marsh we are back to charging the full entry price of £2 per adult and £1 per child (first child in a family and any under 5's go free). Still very good value, I'm sure you will agree. And remember, it all goes towards making the reserve the fantastic place to visit it is.

We will update this information if anything changes. In the meantime, enjoy the reserve and stay safe everyone!

And it's hello from him

2020-10-23T11:21:00Z

Eagle-eyed visitors may have noticed a new face out and about on the reserve over the past few weeks. We have a new conservation intern, in the shape of Simon. Let's see what he has to say for himself...
--------------------------------------------------

Hello all, I’m Simon and I am the new Conservation Intern here at Frampton Marsh for the next 6 months. As you might be seeing me around the reserve a fair bit, I thought I would give you a quick introduction and some background information.

You could say I’m a bit of a Fen boy, growing up in Cambridgeshire, currently living in Downham Market and now working here. As you might imagine I am rather used to the flat life so when I went to university in Aberystwyth (a small seaside town in Wales) my poor legs certainly felt it for the first few months. At Aberystwyth I studied Zoology which I thoroughly enjoyed after growing up always eager to learn what I could about animals especially whilst avidly watching David Attenborourgh.

I had the rather harrowing realisation last week that it has actually been a whole decade since my first day at Uni, and in that time a lot of what have learnt has unfortunately trickled out of my ears but now working with the Frampton team I am hoping to re-spark those little grey cells.

After university I went travelling for 3 months around Bali, Australia and New Zealand. Once I arrived back in Blightly I decided to volunteer at Welney Wetland Center after only a couple of weeks there I knew that this was what I wanted to do, as it combined by love of nature and getting my hands dirty. I quickly applied to go on a 9-month internship with Wildlife Trust Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire where I worked out of the Cambridge office. My time with Wildlife Trust was spent helping maintain sites, where I gained a lot of experience in woodland management.

Unfortunately, after this I had a rather long hiatus from the conservation sector as amazing as internships are, they don’t really cover the rent. But now I am a lot more set up and have a very supportive fiancée so its time to throw myself back into the fray. Originally, I was meant to be at RSPB Tichwell for 6 months of my 12-month internship, but after a week and two days lockdown was called which brought a rather abrupt stop to that. Now after nearly 6 months I can’t wait to get stuck in and for hopefully a bit longer that at Tichwell.

Hopefully I will get to meet all of you around the reserve sometime, but if not then I at least hope to get you virtually.

Update on Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore facilities

2020-08-21T15:59:00Z

Hello everyone!

Well, it has been a busy time over the past few weeks. The team has been working hard to make the reserves enjoyable and safe places to visit. So here is the update on how things are looking at both Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore.

Car parks
All the car parks are open, at both sites.

Reserve Trails
All the trails are now reopened, 24 hours a day. There are new gates in various places at Frampton Marsh. Please close these behind you, as it will keep the new breeding area free from ground-based predators. Please also be considerate of other visitors. If you want to stop to look at something, get off the path so that others can get by whilst maintaining the 2 metres distancing. There are no one-way systems, we have cut the paths to be wide enough for everyone to get by.

Hides
All the hides are now reopened. There are however capacity limits in place, clearly marked on the outside of each hide. We are saying a maximum of 10 adults inside 360 Hide, 8 in East Hide, and 5 in Reedbed hide, or the hide at Freiston Shore. Please be aware of other visitors, and make way for those newly arrived and looking to use the hide. One of the advantages of both Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore is that you can see a lot of wildlife from the paths, without having to be inside the hides. Please note also that we are asking visitors to wear face coverings inside the hides. Hand sanitiser has been provided for your use in each hide.

Toilets
The toilets at Frampton will be open between 10 am and 4 pm daily. There will be two toilets, one of which is accessible. Please check with the staff on duty if the loos are free and, if not, queue in a socially distant fashion outside. To comply with Covid regulations we will have to close the toilets at 12 and 2 pm in order to clean them.Please remain patient during this time, we will get them open again as quickly as we can whilst not skimping on the cleaning.

Track and Trace
We have been asked to take part in the Track and trace scheme at Frampton Marsh. If you come into the area of the reserve where you would have to pay an entry fee, purchase refreshments or use the toilets, please fill in one of the contact slips and post them in the box provided. All data will be securely held in accordance with GDPR.

Entry Fees
The access fee of £1 per car for non-members is in force at Freiston Shore. Please use the ticket machine as you would normally. At Frampton Marsh we have been charging half the usual entry fee. With the reopening of the facilities this will soon go up to 3/4 the usual price, namely £1.50 per adult and 75p per child. Still very good value, I'm sure you will agree. And remember, it all goes towards making the reserve the fantastic place to visit it is.

So there we are. We are not back to 'normal' just yet, the visitor centre is not yet open for example. But we are making great strides forward in making our visitors' experience of the sites as good as it possibly can be. We look forward to seeing you all in the future!

Frampton Marsh Wildlife Blog

2020-07-19T15:35:00Z

Hello all!

Welcome to the Frampton Marsh wildlife blog, with me Paige, the practical conservation intern. This week we are taking a quick look at some of the changes currently occurring in nature, such as the arrival and departure of some of our birds.

Arrivals and Departures

July is a month that marks the arrival and departure of certain birds on their autumn migration route. You might think it is a bit early, since autumn is a couple of months away still. However, some birds decide to head off early and get first dibs of the food at their usual feeding grounds.

The ‘bird nesting season’ is officially between February and August, in which many birds, including all year-round species and migratory summers visitors, will breed in the UK. In this time, you may have observed many birds working hard to raise their young, some choosing to raise one brood and some choosing to raise several, but for other animals, the breeding season is already over, and they are beginning to prepare for winter.

Swifts live up to their name by only staying long enough to breed, arriving in the UK in late April to early May, leaving again in July to August. In mid to late July, before the nights turn cool, swifts are starting to make their way back to Africa. They build up their energy by eating insects on the wing prior to leaving, enabling them to fly almost non-stop, without roosting, to their destination. For instance, one young swift was recorded leaving the UK on 31^stJuly and was found in Madrid on 3^rd August, by mid-August it would have reached Africa.

Passing through the British Isles are numerous birds following swifts on their autumnal migration journey, including several waders which are often still in their breeding plumage. Spotted redshanks set off southwards, leaving their northern Scandinavian breeding grounds, and are unmistakable if they stop off; they are jet black with white spots over the back and wings (see image below). Curlew sandpipers have a reddish tinge to their plumage and individuals can be seen passing through the UK, as they leave the Arctic and head to Africa (last one recorded at Frampton Marsh on 18^th July 2020).

The conspicuous spotted redshank in summer plumage.

The first arrivals include bar-tailed godwits and sanderlings, some still in their breeding plumage. Godwits arrive still with summer chestnut breasts, and sanderlings arrive with chestnut-red breasts and backs, before turning grey for the winter. Godwits leave their breeding grounds in northern Scandinavia and Russia, and sanderlings leave their breeding grounds in Svalbard, and both choose to spend their winter with us. Godwits can be seen in estuaries such as the Humber and Wash and check out long sandy beaches for sanderlings. Species from the same family such as sandpipers, can also be seen in the UK, some staying for the winter and some just passing through. The curlew sandpiper, pectoral sandpiper, green sandpiper, wood sandpiper and common sandpiper have all been sighted at Frampton this month.

Sanderling

Since seasonal changes are already underway, be sure to keep watch of the nature that is around you, notice as birds start to disappear and emerge, and as the climate changes, so does their behaviour.

Thanks for reading.

Paige

Frampton Marsh recent sightings - 15 July 2020

2020-07-15T13:00:00Z

Howdy folks! Welcome back to the Frampton Marsh recent sightings. With me, Chris the Visitor Manager.

There was major excitement down the reserve on Friday 10 July when a Caspian tern popped up, roosting on the reedbed amongst the waders. These are big chunky terns, far larger than the common terns we usually get, as this photo from Ian Bollen shows to good effect.

Rare for the UK, this was the reserve's first ever Caspian tern. The bird was present on site for Friday and Saturday. Mostly it sat on the reedbed, allowing a legion of birdwatchers to come and see it. Sometimes it did disappear for an hour or two (presumably to go fishing, leading to much worry and angst. It eventually left early on Sunday morning.

Or so we thought...

Guess who came back on Tuesday evening? Yes, the bird has re'tern'ed! We will see how long it stays this time.

For those people looking for the tern, there was some good extra added value too. A nicely coloured curlew sandpiper has been pottering around the reedbed. A little stint turned up in the same place on Monday 13 July, and is still there. The knot and godwit flock continues to impress, with peak knot counts approaching 10,000 birds. Other notable waders include common and green sandpipers, spotted redshanks, and the usual array of ruffs, little ringed plovers, dunlin, avocets and so on. A summer plummage golden plover shows that the autumn migration is definitely underway, with birds starting to return from upland breeding areas.

(Little ringed plover by Robert Coudray)

Over on North Scrape, the black-necked grebes can still be found, with the top count being 3 adults and 2 youngsters. The photo here is by Matthew Mellor

Back onto the reedbed, spoonbills have been a daily sighting, with up to four birds present. Talking of things large and white, 'Hula' our resident whooper swan can usually be found there too.

All around the reserve you might well bump into one of the breeding sedge warblers. They and their young seem very prevelant this year, and more confiding than usual. This nice portrait of one was taken by Kevin Mayhew.

Not as common to see, but very colourful, there are increasing reports of kingfishers. This one posed for Jeremy Eyeons.

Moving to the furry side of life, an adult otter with two cubs was seen swimming in the reedbed over the weekend. What a sight that must have been!

If you are coming to visit us, make sure to keep up to date with sightings by following our Twitter account. No need to have an account yourself, we make it so everyone can see it. If you do tweet yourself, please remember to use #RSPFrampton so we can see what you are posting, and also ideally mention @RSPBFrampton. If you have any good photos (or video, or even artwork) we'd love to see that too. Tweet it, or share it on our Facebook page or our Flickr account. It may also be useful for you to know the weather and tide times for the site, which may well have an impact on what is showing.

Above all, please remember we are still in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. We currently only have one single (accessible) loo open at weekends between 10 am and 4 pm. The reedbed hide is open, but 360 and East Hide remain closed. There are no refreshments available on site. Please be considerate of others, and maintain the 2 metre social distancing. Thank you for your help.