Going to race through the sightings this week as we don't have many pictures uploaded to illustrate the sightings this week. I knocked out a few exceptionally mediocre phone scoped images to try and add something and have recorded a few videos though so do check back over the weekend/next week as I will hopefully have been able to add them.
Ooops, forgot to wish you all a Happy New Year! Hope you all made a sensible resolution to visit us more often. An easy one to keep as it's win win :)
Righty ho, here are your maps from this week, 30 and 31 December, 1, 3 and 5 January, and here's the weeks Weekly Digest on Twitter. We may also role out a weekly sightings vlog to complement this blog. I had a brief window in between the showers this afternoon and was able to sneak in a quick ramble before it got dark. There's been some positive feedback already and comments on how to improve so please do give it a look and let us know if you'd like it to be a regular thing.
I got a bit lucky in last weeks sightings blog after mentioning the whooper swans. I had an inkling that with those numbers a Bewick's might find it's way here......... and it did! Maybe I should have predicted a red-breasted goose! Saying that...... the forecast for next week is sub zero temperatures across mainland Europe so we may well see an influx of wildfowl. Keep those fingers crossed everyone!!
Bewick's and whooper swan
The Bewick's is the smaller of the two with a shorter neck and reduced yellow on the bill. The rounded finish looks like half a 'B' for Bewick's where as the pointy yellow on the bird behind is a bit like a half 'W' for whooper. Scan the group on the fields to the south of the reserve or hope you get lucky like I did and they all pop over onto the scrapes for a drink and wash. We have about 69 whoopers with us now and the single Bewick's. We may well get a few more before the winter's out.
Peregrine
Merlin
I'm sure the waders and wildfowl (we now have 1 less teal) aren't keen on having these two around but for us it makes a good day incredible. It's very hard to judge the scale and number of birds we have at Frampton when they are all on the deck. Luckily this pair are on the hunt and boy do they make a scene. Watching the pools bubble with birds as they leave and hearing the roar of 10,000 wings as they lift is something pretty pretty special. Fortunately it's quite a regular occurrence here when the falcons are flying. To really get a good feel for this abundance of awesomeness, spend and hour on Mount Hirons as they birds will swirl up and above you when spooked.
The male hen harrier continues to be seen and is pretty faithful to the Raptor Viewpoint area. Short-eared owls are around too but seem to favour the sea bank to Witham Mouth. If you don't fancy a walk down to Tabs Head, make sure you scan that way as you walk round.
House sparrow
Tree sparrow
With it getting a bit chillier the Visitor Centre feeding station is getting very busy indeed. We now have a solid 3 figure count of sparrows and finches coming regularly. Not sure why we are so light on buntings this year? Usually we have several reed buntings and yellowhammers nibbling away. Maybe our wild bird mixes sown around the site are keeping them away.
The 6 snow buntings remain at Freiston on the reservoir and with big tides this weekend, it'd be worth a pre-breakfast trip out there on Saturday or Sunday. The wind is also looking good for a seawatch so take a flask and some snacks, as well as your thermals, to the little sea watching shelter near the first breach and tuck in. Divers, grebes, like this red-necked Ian had today, and sea duck are your quarry and who know's what else may drift past.....
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