Frampton Marsh recent sightings: 10 - 16 June 2017

Howdy folks, and welcome back to another Frampton marsh recent sightings. With me, Chris the visitor guy!

So, what do we have for you this week? Crank up the DeLorean to 88 miles an hour, it is time to do some time travel (if only back to last Saturday)

Interesting to see the grasshopper warbler has popped up. This might be one that has done breeding (or failed), as they often then move elsewhere and sing again.

In addition to the above map, there was a cattle egret hooching about. Mostly over the wet grassland, but it did also pay a visit to the scrapes. There are of course a lot of little egrets about too. 

Sorry, no map for Monday. I think we must have got over excited by a possible Baird's sandpiper on the reserve. Unfortunately it later turned out that it was just an unusual dunlin. Shame, but there you go.

Surprising how garganeys suddenly pop up, seemingly out of nowhere then disappear again. Then again, they are skulky small ducks who like to hide in reeds...

The spoonbills were rather nice. It seems to be a while since we have had any, but personally I think we have more than we realise. They just tend to be out on the saltmarsh more, hidden in the channels. Much like great white egrets.

Photo by Kurt Spindley.

And finally, today!

As you may be able to see, it is not just good birds we have about. We have interesting red-veined darters, bee orchids and some nice moths. Last night in the office moth trap we had both elephant and small elephant hawkmoths.

So, what else can we say? Well, the bearded tits are still hanging around the seabank carpark. Though they have also popped up down the road closer to the centre, and even in the reedbed.

Photo by Neil Smith

The snipe are still drumming down at the sea bank car park too. You may have seen the Springwatch segment where Chris Packham went in search of them. He should have come to us! They go right overhead. Usually best in the evenings, but it can be at any time. The drumming noise (sometimes likened to a sheep going "baaaaa"). the noise is made by outer tail fathers vibrating as they carry out display flights.

You can see in this great photo by Neil Smith the two outer tail feathers protruding, as they vibrate to make the noise.

Elsewhere, you can hardly fail to miss the sedge warblers. Some are belting out their song (photo by Alan Bewster)

 While others are busily finding food for their young (photo by Neil Smith)

Talking of young, whilst some wader chicks are really getting quieter large now, there are still little fluffballs to be seen

Photo by Kurt Spindley

Not that everything gets to hatch. This stoat had found a gull egg from somewhere, and was tucking in after playing football along the road with it, in an effort to crack the egg open.

Photos by Derek Lees

Plenty to keep an eye open for then.....

(great crested grebe by Neil Smith)

So, anything else much to tell you? Well I'm happy to say that the hand driers are now back on at the visitor centre. But there may continue to be some disruption of the loos as we continue the renovation work.

If you are going to visit us, you can keep up to day with the sightings by following our Twitter account. No need to have an account yourself, we make it so everyone can see it. If you do tweet yourself, please remember to use #RSPBframpton so we can see what you are posting, and also ideally mention @RSPBNorfolkLinc. If you have any good photos (or video, or even artwork) we'd love to see that too. Tweet it, or share it on our Facebook page or our Flickr account.

This pretty much wraps up another edition of the sightings blog. I hope you all have a great week, take care, have fun, and I will catch you next time.