Frampton marsh recent sightings: 11 - 17 May 2019

Howdy folks! Welcome back to the Frampton Marsh recent sightings. With me, Chris the Visitor Guy.

Into the middle of May now, and still only the one, partial, entry into our birdwatchers challenge. Surely someone is going to send me a full day's list? Especially when there is quality stuff like this to be found...

Cuckoos cuckoo-ing, turtle doves purring, garganeys grunting...

Redstart on the way to the river mouth, spoonbill over, black tern at Freiston...

No map for Monday, alas. But I can tell you that the RSPB South Lincs group's boat trip picked up osprey, two shags, sandwich tern and a couple of turtle doves. And great views of peregrine.

And then, as if by magic, a red-necked phalarope appeared!

The first dragonflies of the year were seen on Wednesday. Swiftly followed by a hobby, though it might have been more into the swifts.

A male pintail is still hanging around...

And after not getting any last year, two Temminck's stints arrived on Friday. With the phalarope still about too. The red-crested pochards are a bit of a reserve rarity too.

So, that is the maps. Onwards to the photos!

 First up with have Ian Dudley. A selection that appears to have caught this Canada goose by surprise!

Ian also got two great shots of little egrets. Check out the size of the feet!

Reserve volunteer Mark Sargeant next, with a great crested grebe.

Both little egrets and great crested grebes were a big part of the early years of the RSPB, as we were founded to try to protect these birds from being slaughtered for their display feathers, which went onto fashionable hats and gloves.

Mark also got a nice image f this reed warbler. Sat where it ought to be, in reeds!

Regular readers of this blog will know that Jeremy Eyeons is one of our most prolific contributors. Well, here we go again...

We start off with another great crested grebe photo.Nice and serene

Which really cannot be said about these squabbling gadwalls

Awww, how cute! But do you know what it is?

Yes, it was a Canada gosling, here with proud mum and dad.

And this picture of a pair of tufted ducks feels like it ought to be in a caption competition. What can they be saying? (In case you don't know, the female is the one at the back with her head up and the grumpy expression. The male is at the front, with a slightly scared look?)

Last, but by no means least, we have some shots sent in by David Suddards.

We have here what I can only assume are a pair of courting barnacle geese. Either that or it is synchronised bathing!

Of course, it isn't just birds we have on the reserve. David also has some other things to look at.

This is a type of forget-me-not, though personally I couldn't tell you which one. Any plant experts in the house?

Here we have a speckled wood butterfly

And here a muntjac deer. Inquisitive or wary?

Finally, one from yours truly. OK, not the best shot in the world, but found during a session of pond dipping by 1st Kirton brownies, the first common water slater I've ever seen on the reserve...

So, that are the photos. Just a couple of things to make you aware of, both of which were mentioned on Friday's map.

First up, from 21 May, for seven days, the road in towards the reserve from Frampton village will be closed for roadworks to happen. Access to and from the reserve will be via Wyberton Roads, following the brown tourist signs off the A16.

Secondly, we are in the vote to be the Lincolnshire Co-operative's Community Chamption for the winter of 2019/20. A status which would gain us potentially up to £125,000 in donations. If you are a member of the Lincolnshire Co-op, please do vote for us at www.lincolnshire.coop/ccvote

So there you have it! If you are coming to visit us, you can keep up to date 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. It may also be useful for you to know the weather and tide times for the site, which may well have an impact on what is showing. 

All the best, take care, and I will catch you next time!

Chris