Hello Framptoners and Freistoners.... Did you miss me? In the unlikely even your answer yes, then I apologise for my absence, annual leave and annual report and some bits and bobs not going to plan have kept me uber busy. If your answer was no, then I apologise for returning, A big thank you to Chris for doing an excellent job of keeping you updated. Shall we start with a map?
1. We've had nearly a score of whooper swans roosting on the reedbed each evening though their arrival and departure times can be pretty varied and make it hard to catch up with them. A good grilling of the grassland will often turn up a couple though.
2. While not even nearly at their peak it is soooo good to see and hear several thousand brent geese burbling off the saltmarsh and descending onto South Scrape for a wash and a drink.
3. And on the subject of thousands of birds, our wigeon numbers are just incredible! We usually expect to record these sorts of numbers towards the middle/end of winter, end of Autumn. Rough counts have regularly yielded 4,000+, higher than the highest 2013/14 count already.
4. Can you see a theme emerging.... thousands of wildfowl again! This time it's pink-footed geese, flying over the reserve to and from their roosting grounds in The Wash. While wigeon and brent geese can be seen throughout the day, you will need to stay late or get here early to enjoy our 'pinkies'.
5. We'll return to countable numbers now and snipe are really enjoying the recent work we've done on South Scrape. Cutting the vegetation low allows them to get in to areas that were too dense for them before and also allows you guys to see them, if you can of course.
6. Up to 6 spotted redshank have been on the reserve this last week, dividing their time between the Roads Farm grassland and South Scrape.
7. As the weather turns and temperatures drop, winter migrants are on the move and this was definitely the case on the 12th when several hundred fieldfare flew south on a broad front across the reserve. Several stragglers were found in among the hawthorn berries along the public footpath.
8. Although there have been few sightings of jack snipe this week, we are pretty confident that is due to their hiding abilities rather then a lack of presence. The same management that has benefited the snipe will also be welcomed by the jack's so keep sifting through the fringes.
9. It's hard to single out one species when several of them can be seen at once from the Raptor Viewpoint. We've had marsh and hen harriers, peregrine, kestrel, merlin and buzzard throughout the week and a stake out at any time could return short-eared owl and barn owl. For those dreaming a little bigger we have had rough-legged buzzard their last year and who would be against the Lincolnshire coast pallid harrier being the most recent addition to the Frampton list? If raptors are your thing and you would like to know more about them or just want a walk on the reserve as a de-stress before Christmas then please do join me for a wander at high tide on the 23rd of December. Places are limited so please do book early to avoid missing out. You may be lucky enough to see one of these beauties!
Male hen harrier aka The Grey Ghost - Ian Bollen
While the weather hasn't been great for photography, the sun has poked through a few times and allowed some excellent images to be taken.
Whooper swan - Neil Smith
The roosting birds are often hard to see well as they often flight off and on in the crepuscular hours but occasionally birds will hang around on the grassland. Scan from Moutn Hirons or the sea bank for your best chance to see them.
Wigeon - Neil Smith
Wigeon and brent geese - Neil Smith
Over the last few years we have seen a huge rise in the volume of birds using the reserve, more specifically wigeon and teal. While many of you may have seen these birds and be familiar with intricacies of their identification, the sheer sight and sound of thousands taking to the sky really is a scene to behold and witness in person. A trip down to the sea bank car park and a well timed peregrine fly through will leave you with a wildlife moment you'll want to see again and again.
Fieldfare - Jeremy Eyeons
The hedgerows are heavy with berries but for how much longer? When fieldfare and redwings arrive en masse they can strip a bush in minutes so you need to make sure you're about when it happens, just like Jeremy was. Thrushes weren't the only small birds n the move. Siskin and redpoll have moved through the reserve in good numbers this week and a Lapland bunting was the best passerine find of the week on the grassland. A few twite have also been seen, hopefully these will stay around and not pass through like most of our records last year.
Frampton skyscape - Neil Smith
One thing we nearly take for granted are the big skies and open vistas that Frampton offers. This is as characteristic to the reserve as the birds themselves so if it is a little drizzly or windy when you visit, hole up in the Visitor Centre and take ten minutes with a hot drink and cake to just watch the world go by....
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