Normal service has resumed. We have a map, we have pictures and we have a few birds to talk about too in this weeks sightings.
The biggest surprise and the biggest news of the week was a/the/OUR glossy ibis seen on the Frampton grassland on the morning of the 18th before flying off towards Freiston. Fortunately John was out that way grilling the sea for Patchwork Challenge and picked the ibis up flying towards him. Fortunately it dropped into the prison fields to feed before upping sticks and heading back towards the reserve where Chis saw it from the Visitor Centre and followed it back onto the grassland. A brief report of it out on the saltmarsh the following day is the last we've heard of it so far. The cold snap last year pushed it off but the fact it returned is a good omen and one to search for as we thaw.
Glossy ibis - John Badley
Prior to the freeze we were once again enjoying thousands of birds with a grassland full of lapwing, golden plovers and wigeon. The weather was even good enough to get skylarks singing and hares boxing but a few consecutive mornings of -'s on the thermometer has quickly quietened things down. Fortunately it looks like the plovers have just relocated rather than left entirely as clouds of waders can be seen over the marsh as the tide falls.
Lapwing and golden plover - Paul McCaffery
Wigeon - Paul McCaffery
Wigeon and dunlin - Paul McCaffery
Much of the open water has frozen too making the few ice free areas essential for drinking and bathing. These are drawing in plenty of birds that are finding it hard to find water elsewhere. While birds can usually find food in conditions like these a source of freshwater is often much harder to come by so please remember to clean and fill bird baths as well as your feeders during cold snaps. Having all the ducks together is great for study as it allows a good reference and comparison for shape and size. As much as I encourage you to take advantage of seeing all the birds together like this, I would also encourage you to bring gloves, hat and scarf as it is extra chilly when these opportunities arise.
Whooper swans - Ian Ellis
To the sightings map!
1. The pair of water pipits are ranging a bit further and have been seen very well from the car park in the last few days.
2. There have been several reports of bullfinch around the area this may be the best time to catch this locally scarce species. A walk through the hedgerow will hopefully turn one or two up.
3. With a slight onshore wind and clear day forecast a few of us headed out to the Cut End hide for some seawatching. Conditions weren't great but we had a pair of scaup, several goldeneye, eider, red-breasted merganser and several fly by red-throated divers.
4. Raptor highlights this week have been two male hen harriers on the 22nd, peregrine, 2 marsh harriers on 21st, peregrine throughout and a couple of merlins with one of the latter involved in a ten minute aerial pursuit of a snipe covering nearly every inch of Frampton air space.
5. The Cetti's warbler made a reappearance this week halfway along the Cross Bank. Best time to look for this during the warmer brighterdays wit no wind as it seems to call more frequently, though can be just as elusive.
6. A good scan along the base of the fence will hopefully yield the over wintering water rail as it feeds alongside the many moorhens.
7. The colder conditions have meant our barn owls are hunting more frequently and have been seen several times when we've been opening up the visitor centre. Scan the far side of the reedbed on arrival and you may get lucky.
8. Whooper swan numbers are varying but 20+ is a regular minimum count at the roost. They are coming in just before dusk so hanging on till 16:30 and beyond or getting in around 8am may find them still on the water.
9. Scanning across to Marsh Farm barn should pick out the little owl though he has been a bit more elusive as the temperatures have dropped.
That's nearly it, just a quick reminder about Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend. It's only an hour of your time either Saturday or Sunday and by taking part you will be contributing to the biggest survey of it's kind in the world. Not only that you may be lucky enough to see some cracking garden birds too. Here are some of the regulars to Frampton's feeders. Do you get any of these in your garden?
Goldfinch - Paul McCaffery
Reed bunting - Paul McCaffery
Yellowhammer - Paul McCaffery
That's all from me this week. Enjoy your weekend everyone, and if you can't wait 7 days to know what's going on here, keep your finger on the Lincolnshire Wash Reserves pulse by following us on Twitter and giving us a ‘like’ on Facebook. Alternatively if you enjoy taking pictures and have a Flickr account then please join our group and share your images with everyone.
The more you're out the more you see - https://twitter.com/BoyWonderBirder