Hello all. Welcome to the Frampton Marsh recent sightings blog, with me Paige, the practical conservation intern.
After a couple of weeks off I am back to bring you news of what is around the reserve. However, Chris did a great job of reporting everything in last week’s blog, leaving me with little to bring you. That does not mean there is little around, it just means everything that was at Frampton last week is still around, with a few nice extras.
As you approach roads farm, there are signs on the reserve of autumn passage, with appearances from curlew sandpiper, spotted redshank, ruff and curlew. There are still hundreds of waders flying around in mixed groups, including bar-tailed godwits and knots, and it is wader chick galore out there. Young avocet, oystercatcher, lapwing, ringed plover, little ringed plover and redshank can all be seen, and they are growing quickly. We also have wood sandpipers and turnstones visiting us, and up to half a dozen green sandpipers. Position 1 is the place to go to in order to get your wader fix.
We have good news, we still have our current stars, the family of black-necked grebes that have nested on the reserve. They are in the same spot and are best viewed from the path that runs along the northern edge of the scrape, though can often be hidden by vegetation. With a bit of patience though you should get some good views. They are on North scrape, at position 2.
Additional highlights since last week include 6 sandwich terns and 2 spoonbills, both which you can find at position 3, and if you head south-west from the visitor centre towards the reservoir, you might find whooper swans coming into roost at position 4. Wildlife at Frampton can be seen in all directions, and if you look up and over the reedbed, you will get lost in the shapes and swirls made by 7000 starlings performing murmurations. If you look even higher, you’ll see a flock of 300 swifts circling the reserve, or you may hear them before you see them as they gather in a screaming frenzy. The wildlife garden is also proving to be a place of great findings, as we recorded our first clearwing species for the reserve; a red-tipped clearwing moth was spotted yesterday, see photo below.
Photo: Anthony Bentley
Well, that is a quick run through of the major points of what is about, don’t forget to refer to last week’s blog for more details. If you find anything good, be sure to let us know either on twitter (please use #RSPBFrampton or @RSPBFrampton ) or on Facebook.
So there we have it! If you are coming to visit us please note the hides are all still closed, and the path along the northern edge of North scrape is locked between 4 pm and 9:30 am each night. The visitor centre is still closed, although we are now opening one loo at weekends between 10 am and 4 pm.
Take care, happy wildlife exploring. See you next time!