Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore recent sightings, 18 - 24 July 2014

Hi all,

Apologies for the brevity of this blog post. I know Toby does an all-singing all-dancing version. But time is not on my side having had a busy day with summer holiday activities for the kids and a visit from the local MP. So it is the quick and dirty version today...

Much of what is about is still the same from last time.

• Lesser yellowlegs is on the wet grassland, near the old carpark, usually to the north of the road
• Glossy ibis is on the wet grassland to the south of the road, just past 'Mount Hirons' (the mound with the seat on it
• Wood sandpiper, green sandpiper and common sandpiper can be found in the pools and channels anywhere on the wet grassland
• Spotted redshank are on the scrapes
• Turtle doves are in the hedgerow, even purring away in the middle of the day

• Spoonbill have also popped on the scrapes from time to time, with up to three present
• A Mediterranean gull can often be found amidst the black-headed gulls, for those with the patience to search 
• Temminck's stint was reported on the scrapes yesterday (23 July)
• Two little stint were on the wet grassland with the yellowlegs last Sunday (19 July)

Godwit numbers are looking good, with high tides bringing in loads onto the scrapes and reedbed. Definitely worth a check through them for other birds of interest. 

On a non-avian front, dragonfly numbers are increasing, with red-veined darter being regularly spotted near the East hide, the impressive emperor dragonfly turning up by the reedbed and ruddy darters seemingly everywhere. Nice load of butterflies about too. I'll be running the moth trap this weekend, so next week's report have have a few photos for the lepidopterists...

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