A very chilly and occasionally tempestuous week of weather saw or visitors and birds react accordingly. The windier and heavier conditions kept visitors away and the birds hunkered down but when the sun did break through, spirits, rather than temperatures where often lifted. The highlight of the week was the cracking Alexandrine parakeet that alighted on the hedgerow behind the Visitor Centre car park on the 5th. One was seen a few weeks ago on the way to Freiston so there's a very good chance this is the same bird and may well have found the area to its liking.
Alexandrine parakeet - John Badley
A nice surprise on the reedbed islands were 2 European white-fronted geese on the 4th. These look to be first year birds with only one having a noticeable dark bar across the belly. I'm sure the ones we had towards the end of last year had more and stronger blotches so if that is the case then these are different birds. Does anyone have any photos of winter 2014's geese? A skein of 70+ pink-footed geese headed high and west on the 31st, numbers have reduced significantly from the 2,000 peak in November but birds are still to move through so listen out and look up.
Wigeon and teal numbers continue to dwindle though we still have a lot around and they have become very confiding for such timid species. Good 50+ groups are regularly feeding along the bank of the reedbed and some great opportunities to study them up close can be had from the comfort of the Visitor Centre. The 1st winter drake scaup is still present and a good challenge to search out among the diving ducks.
And it isn't just the duck in close, dunlin, ringed plover and ruff are getting very approachable in the field next to the car park and patience will be rewarded with some fantastic views.
Dunlin - Dan Newton
Raptors aren't the only attraction to the Raptor Viewpoint as a wander down on the 1st day of February produced 3 spotted redshanks. Up to 16 twite have also been seen out on the salt marsh as well as a host of raptors, check the sightings map and text below for details.
Spotted redshank - Jonathan Savory
The brambling continues its stay but has become more elusive as the days start to lengthen. It still prefers the bottom of the car park but there doesn't appear to be any pattern to its presence or absence.
Brambling - Paul Sullivan
Muntjac prints are regularly seen along the hedgerow footpath but those that leave them have often darted off long before you see them. If you're lucky enough they may sit tight enough for a picture, as they did with Andrew on the 2nd.
Muntjac - Andrew Chick
And so to our sightings map, your cut out and keep guide to what to see and where on the reserve this weekend.
1. The bullfinch continue to be seen along the hedgerow, Listen out for a plaintive whistle or a clean white sugar cubed rump as it flights away.
2. The brambling is another white-rumped finch to look out for. See Paul's video above to see how it differs from female chaffinch.
3. The drake 1st winter scaup continues its mantle moult and some of the distinctive vermiculated feathers help pick it out fro the tufted ducks.
4. Dunlin and ruff number about 200 and 40 respectively and are becoming quite accustomed to car park activity as they scurry around the flashes.
5. Only a few reports of Cetti's warbler this week, but all from the same place and all on bright, still days.
6. 3 hen harriers, 3 marsh harriers, 2 merlin, peregrine and sparrowhawk (which reminded me of Darth Vader's TIE Advanced hunting down X-wings as it flew low through the creeks trying to flush buntings and pipits) have been seen from the Raptor Viewpoint but all have been seen on the landward side of the seabank too.
7. If you are down on the reserve, and more specifically outside the Visitor Centre, between 15:30 and dusk, 9.5 times out of ten you will see a barn owl and if you're lucky enough you may see two, like we did on the 3rd.
8. Whooper swan numbers vary a little between 24 and 30 and they also vary in location with them roosting on our water bodies regularly but also feeding on the grassland and in the fields to the south west of the reserve, often visible from the cross bank.
9. If you thought the scaup was tough to find then our hide and seek little owl will really test your skills. Check the trees around the Marsh Farm barn for our spotted friend.
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