Another super busy week has not left me time to compose the weekly sightings map but I will share our daily maps in all their out of focus, dirty lensed, scraggly handwritten glory, sorry. Hopefully they are better than nothing.
For those regular readers and visitors, my tip off about the weekend and tides was spot on! We had an exceptional Bank Holiday with migrants arriving thanks to the weather and huge numbers of birds on the reserve because of the tides. Highlights were an elusive wryneck (2nd for the reserve), classic Autumn migrants like pied and spotted flycatcher, redstart, willow warbler and a veritable swarm of yellow wagtails (upwards of 150) and all the expected waders with daily species totals in the 20's, plus our 3rd red-necked phalarope of the year! A monster count of 127 little egrets just goes to show how many we don't see that hunt the creeks out in the saltmarsh. The next big BIG tides are early October, will 127 be bettered?
Little egret - Michael Nott
While we won't get the tides, always keep an eye on the weather as we could get anything if there's East in the wind....
Here's a quick summary of what's about and what to look for this coming week...
1. Spoonbill - A peak count of 4 this week with birds mainly being on South Scrape and Roads Farm grassland but outcasts have also been on Marsh Farm and the Reedbed.
Spoonbill - Neil Smith
2. Raptors - Hard to put a specific count or species down here as the general gathering has been incredible. Earlier in the week at high tide we hit our peak of viewing and numbers for marsh harriers (8) and short-eared owls (4). High water levels not only pushed small mammals to the surface, they also encouraged the birds close in. On a good day you could see a minimum of 6 birds of prey and maximum of 9! Take your pick from peregrine, kestrel, hobby, merlin, sparrowhawk, buzzard, marsh harrier, short-eared owl and barn owl. With hen harriers hopefully coming soon and little owls on the boundaries it may be possible to get double figures!
Short-eared owl - Jeremy Eyeons
3. Waders - September is our best month for waders with 29 species being recorded in the month for the last 2 years. We have pretty much picked up all the common and scarcities already (sanderling always a notable exception) so we just need a few rarities. Pectoral sandpiper still eludes us though there doesn't seem to have been many about this year. Great views are to be had of some of our passage waders like little stint and wood sandpipier, while spotted redshank and greenshank are around in good number when the tide brings them in. Several common sandpiper are dotted about though green sandpiper is a little harder to come by.
Black-tailed godwit - Michael Nott
Dunlin - Michael Nott
Little stint - Toby Collett
Wood sandpiper - Jeremy Eyeons
Spotted redshank - Michael Nott
4. Finches - Our seed crop in middle scrape is looking incredible and the it's also delivering early too. While we sowed it with attracting wildfowl in mind, there are currently well over a hundred linnet in there and if the flocks get together it wouldn't surprise me if that's doubled. Teasels and thistles are holding large charms of goldfinches and the wild bird mix next to the reedbed is a big hit with greenfinch. As the migrants start to move these big groups of birds may attract other bits and bobs in. Whinchats can be lost among the flocks that perch on fence lines, twite can hide effortlessly away and who wouldn't count on an ortolan or little bunting sneaking about somewhere so grill those groups!
As we start to say good bye to summer (I have to admit I did't even get chance to say hello) and embrace the cooling days and longer nights, it is also time to seek out and savour Framptons smallest residents. Time is ticking for these guys as winter draws in and we only have a month left to see some of them. Here is an excellent selection of intimate invertebrate portraits by Neil, hopefully they will encourage you to scour the longer grasses and vegetated areas to seek out your own mini-beasts.
Sea aster mining bee - Neil Smith
Common field grasshopper - Neil Smith
Common blue - Neil Smith
Mint moth - Neil Smith
Painted lady - Neil Smith
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. 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