Hi Blog fans!!
What a week we have had at Frampton Marsh. First there was a lesser yellow legs on the freshwater scrapes. This elegant American wader was first recorded as a wood sandpiper (which does look very similar to a lesser yellow legs) and posted on the Lincolnshire bird club website. After a bit of scrutiny from some local experts, it was confirmed to be a lesser yellow legs, a first for the reserve. A very nice bird indeed, but nothing compared to what has been on the reserve today............
At ten past one this afternoon, I was working away at my computer, when Tony, one of our visitor centre volunteers called me. He said: "I am with a gentleman who believes he has seen a collared pratincole". This was very exciting news. I chatted to the gentleman, who was called Wayne Lawerance, and he described a collared pratincole to me in detail. This is a fantastic bird to see in the UK, even though we had one here last August, it would still be only the second record at Frampton Marsh. I text the local experts I mentioned earlier, grabbed my bins and rushed off to the East hide. When I arrived, the local experts were already in the hide watching and waiting. As soon as I walked in, they all said together "its an oriental pratincole." This is even more exciting! This is a first for Loincolnshire, and around about a fith for the UK!! After a wait of about ten minutes we were all treated to stunning views of the bird as it hawked for insects, and hopped from island to island. What a day!!
As I write this the car park is filling to the brim with excited visitors!!!
Its my day off tomorrow, so I will see you in the East hide!!
All the best,
Simon.
aka Mr Plover-lover.