So the last week of March finally gave up the goods with the last of our expected early arrivals pitching up along with a special guest to boot. The two arrivals missing from last week's sightings made it this week, though both were very brief. The first Wheatear of 2014 was seen out on the saltmarsh on the morning of the 28th and our first Sand Martin sighting was a couple over the Marsh Farm reservoir on the 1st. A singing Blackcap on the 31st was also the first for the year, and much scarcer was a Firecrest on the same day, news of which was unfortunately not put out at the time so was only enjoyed by a few. Finishing off our migrant round up are two White Wagtails out on the Marsh on Monday and Tuesday and a pair of Garganey on the Reedbed on the 2nd.
The highlight of the week, and of March, was the non-breeding (yellow bill) Great White Egret that was found on the Marsh Farm wet grassland on the 31st. Unfortunately it didn't hang around for long and flew north towards Boston and after a day away realised Frampton is the place to be and was back on the afternoon of the 2nd and all day on the 3rd. The yellow bill (which Little Egret's NEVER show) and super long neck are the key features to identification. They are obviously bigger then Little Egret, as seen in the first photo) but when seen at a distance and with nothing to compare with, size can be very subjective.
Great White Egret - Toby Collett
Great White Egret - Beth Clark
Brent Geese have been well represented once again with thousands of Dark-bellied birds still around along with a couple of Pale-bellied birds and singles of Black Brant. The drake Scaup shows no signs of leaving and the 4 White-fronted Geese were last seen on the 31st so may well have finally moved on.
A ringtail Hen Harrier flew across the reserve on the morning of the 28th but records have dropped off as wintering birds start to return to breeding grounds. Merlin sightings will also start to wane, though we've had daily sightings this week so hopefully she'll stay round as migrants start to move through the reserve. A wing tagged Red Kite drifted over Marsh Farm reservoir and over the Lincs Wash Reserves office on the 1st. We've had several Red Kite sightings this month but this is the first tagged bird so definitely different from the rest. Prepare yourselves for the best Red Kite picture you will see in the next 6 seconds.......
Red Kite (honest) - Toby Collett
Wader sightings and numbers were pretty stable (120 Black-tailed Godwit, 40 Ruff, 70 Lapwing (some sitting), 50 Curlew, 250 Dunlin) but movement was evident with two colour ringed birds picked out on South Scrape (which is full of waders by the way. Going to be AWESOME this month!!)
The list below details the movements over 6 and a half years of an Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit. Always fascinating to see where these birds move to and from. This one exhibiting no site fidelity whatsoever as it moves around both the Wash and Humber estuaries.
Ringed as chick
RO-LRflag 07.07.07 Stadur, Reykholar (road 607), NW Iceland
RO-LRflag 16.07.07 Fljot, (road 76), SW of Siglufjordur, N Iceland
RO-LRflag 28.11.07 Alkborough Flats, North Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 04.12.07 Alkborough Flats, North Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 07.01.08 Réserve Naturelle des Marais de Müllembourg, Noirmoutier,-en-l´íle, W France
To
RO-LRflag 09.01.08 Réserve Naturelle des Marais de Müllembourg, Noirmoutier,-en-l´íle, W France
RO-LRflag 17.05.08 Burnham Overy, north Norfolk, E England
RO-LRflag 09.06.08 Arnold´s Marsh, Cley, Norfolk, E England
RO-LRflag 09.06.08 Cley, Norfolk, E England
RO-LRflag 16.08.08 Cley, Norfolk, E England
RO-LRflag 18.10.09 North Killingholme and Pywipe, Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 26.10.09 Killingholme, Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 06.11.09 Killingholme, Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 21.11.09 Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 12.12.09 Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 01.05.10 Siglufjordur, N Iceland
RO-LRflag 18.08.10 North Killingholme, Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 16.11.10 Pywipe, Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 16.02.11 North Killingholme, Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 08.03.11 Killingholme, Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 12.04.11 Blacktoft Sands, East Yorkshire, E England
RO-LRflag 14.07.11 Haganes, Fljót, N Iceland
RO-Lrflag 05.10.12 Heybridge Basin, Blackwater Estuary, Essex, E England
RO-LRflag 12.10.12 Killingholme, Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 17.04.13 Alkborough Flats, Humber, North Lincolnshire, E England
RO-LRflag 31.03.14 Frampton RSPB, the Wash estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
Much more unusual than the colour ringed Black-tailed Godwit was the Dunlin seen on the same day. As these and other waders start to move through Frampton on their way to Northern breeding grounds we will hopefully get more colour ringed birds seen so please look for the schemes and submit your sightings here. Thank you to Robert for doing just that and passing the details on.
Dunlin colour ring details courtesy of Andurina Ringing Group
A Barn Owl posed nicely on the 1st and Little Owls are now more regular around the Marsh Farm barn.
Barn Owl - Ian Ellis
The Black-headed Gull colony is as raucous as ever with the constant squabbling occasionally punctuated by the distinctive calls of Mediterranean Gulls. Their jet black heads, red bills and clean (no black) wings help seperate them from their cousins. They are obvious in the first picture but can you find them in the second? Click on the photo to make it bigger.
Mediterranean Gull - Toby Collett
With the air pollution being what it was this week, the conditions weren't great for pictures but hopefully a bit of sun next week make a good start to the easter holidays and we can squeeze a few more images in. Till then I'll leave you with a reminder that you don't always have to look up to see cool things at Frampton.
Leaf Beetle - Neil Smith
Toad - Toby Collett
Enjoy your weekend everyone and don't forget to check our wonderful programme of events over the holidays.
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