A double dose of sightings for you this week so we'll skip the waffle, for once, and get you up to speed with the map.
1. We've had a small party of whooper swans roosting on the reservoir but you need to get here early or stay till dusk to see them. Last year we had over 50 on a regular basis so lets hope this small group attract a few more in.
2. The burbling brent geese are now a regular and fantastic sight. The Wash is the best area in the country to see these geese and Frampton is the best site in the area to get this close.
3. Last year we had three record counts of wigeon and teal in three consecutive weeks. This year it feels like we may well have another record count on our hands. Roads Farm is absolutely brimming with birds and as we gradually wet up Marsh Farm we anticipate a further increase in numbers. A WeBS count this weekend will give us an exact figure which I will pass on to you next week.
4. The linnet flock in Middle Scrape isn't as big as our September peak of 400 birds but there are still 200+ kicking about which makes it an irresistible attraction to birds of prey. Sparrowhawks will linger out of cover and dash out for a snack but it's the Merlin that has been sitting pretty all week. Scan the fence line between the scrapes and Roads Farm and also any of the fence lines on Marsh Farm. These are one of the species we are hoping to see on our Christmas raptor walk next month, a great chance to take some time out for yourself before the merriment and festivities begin.
5. The first year scaup is loving the reservoir and has been there for nearly a month now. We usually get one or two of these sea duck spending the winter with us but usually on the reedbed so it's good to have once closer and easier to find.
6. A couple of greenshank have been around on high tides. One of these birds bore a couple of colour rings though we didn't get a firm identification on them all so if you see any please make a note of their colours and where on the legs they are and let the Visitor Centre know.
7. The strand line is the place to be for snow and lapland buntings. We've not had many this year but a stroll along the sea bank will hopefully produce the goods.
8. Dusk is the time to see our barn owl. Last year we had over a month of consecutive evening sightings. Will winter yield something similar?
9. The Witham Mouth or Tabs Head is a mystery and wonder. In the past few weeks it has produced little auk, slavonian grebe, great skua, little gull, common scoter and red-breasted merganser. It's a long walk down but with the birding gods on your side, the rewards are there to be had.
The best bird of the last few weeks was a purple sandpiper, found by the Grantham boys, on the 18th. This is a first record for Frampton and our 34th wader for the year, equalling the best total for waders species on any RSPB reserve in a year, set by us two years ago :) We missed out on pectoral sandpiper this year which is the first time in 4 years we haven't had one. There have been a few non-confirmed records circling so if anyone has seen a 'pec' and has photos or descriptions then please send them through.
Purple sandpiper - Ben Jacklin
Another scarcity was the Cetti's warbler that popped out on Sunday the 23rd. We anticipate getting more regular sightings as the reserve matures and if this bid overwinters and stays to breed, records may be on the up sooner rather than later.
Cetti's warbler - Mr Nichols
It's no surprise that the sheer numbers of birds on the reserve hasn't passed our birds of prey by. Like the merlin mentioned above, peregrine are a daily sight and many visitors have been in to the Visitor Centre regaling us with tales of their first peregrine hunt. While many of us may have seen them perching up on The Stump or other urban areas, Frampton gives you a chance to see them in their element, speeding through the sky at speeds no other animal can match. A true master of the skies.
Peregrine - Neil Smith
A visit down to Freiston to undertake our monthly arable counts at the end of the week gave us far more than we hoped for and a few surprises with records were broken and new species being added to the survey. Over a hundred reed buntings, 93 tree sparrow, 40 stock dove were our highest ever while 400+ linnet came close to top spot. Green sandpiper, 2 pink-footed geese and redpoll were new records on the count and a supporting cast of 2 short-eared owls and a corn bunting meant for a very productive visit indeed. The arable areas are at the southern end of Freiston and are definitely worth a look. Who knows what else is hiding in there?
Short-eared Owl - Neil Smith
The late rise and early setting of the sun means that we get to see some great skyscapes at Frampton.
Skyscape - Neil Smith
Couple that with the huge numbers of wildfowl we have.......
Roads Farm brimming with widlfowl - Neil Smith
And you can end up with some fantastic images!
Pintail? - Neil Smith
Brent Geese- Neil Smith
That's all from us 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. If you are thinking of paying a visit from near or far please do check out the tide times which can make a big difference to both numbers and variety of birds seen on the day.
The more you're out the more you see - https://twitter.com/BoyWonderBirder