With the weather system being very similar to last week we've had a similar array of birding treats on the reserves this week. Unfortunately the notable exception from last week's sightings is the jack snipe which unfortunately couldn't be relocated. Some careful habitat management around the scrape and reedbed fringes during October will hopefully provide some suitable habitat and entice an over winterer or two…

Welcome along to this weeks sightings. A few new arrivals this week with some we can expect to see more and more of as Autumn progresses but others firmly in the 'right place, right time' category. 

We'll start with the latter and two tiny birds that can easily be overlooked. The first was a stunning firecrest that I stumbled on while following my own advice and taking a wander to Tabb's Head on a very quiet afternoon…

Another cracking week at Frampton with waders again being the big draw. At least two of the three pectoral sandpipers remained with only a single bird being seen from East Hide towards the end of the week. Our little stint count ramped up significantly with 23 seen in one group alone on 15 September and curlew sandpipers hovered between the 20 and 30 mark. The years peak count of spotted redshank was the 11 seen on the…

Slightly more on the ball this week with up to date map AND some cracking photos as well :D

Headlines this week include three pectoral sandpipers together from East Hide on the evening of 11 September and at least 13 little stints and 50 curlew sandpipers across Frampton on 9 September! The tides were incredible throughout the week, showing a very different side of the reserve as it brought the salt marsh into its own…

Morning. Toby vs Technology again. Not won entirely but trying my best. My phone and this software are not the best of friends so BirdForum to the rescue. Here's a brief sightings update I wrote on the train yesterday.

Currently on the train back from Norwich so not sure I'll be able to do a proper blog so BirdForum will have to come to my rescue. 

There are two things to remember when visiting this week. East…

On my way down to the 360 hide this morning, I noticed this unusual looking thing. After a bit of a closer look, it still baffled me as to what it was. I took a few photos to show my colleagues in the office and apparently it’s a Robin’s pincushion gall. Having never heard of one of these before I decided to do some research.

Robin's pincushion gall- Photo by Charlotte Jones

With it being so interesting…

Hello, 

Another quick blast of sightings as I've just run through the office door after getting back from RSPB HQ at the Lodge. Just been on a managing habitats for invertebrates course which was extremely interesting and hugely informative. Need to get myself a spyglass and explore lots :)

But enough ramble and babble, map time!

1. Admittedly the pectoral sandpiper spends 90% of its time on the freshwater reservoir…

And here we go with sightings MKII. Alas MKI fell foul of 'the system' last night and after spending my blog writing time yesterday in the throes of frustration and exasperation, untangling 500 metres of electric fence (I got the better of it and amazingly no expletives uttered) I had to leave the blog till this morning so I could calm down.

So here we are and here we go. This weeks blog will be very light…

Happy BirdFair Eve!

A premature sightings blog as I'm not around tomorrow to scribe as I'm saying wonderful things about the reserve and the work the RSPB do on all our reserves across the country at BirdFair. This is an annual event held at Rutland Water and as it's only an hour away then those of you that come to the reserve regularly should go there and any blog readers from further away that are going should…

Alas, Hollywood isn't coming to Frampton (though if any celebs are reading this, we'd be happy to welcome you!). No, this is advance notice of a fun event.

You may remember last year we did the Big Wild Sleepout. The RSPB national event encouraging people to sleep outside, either on one of our reserves or in their back garden. This year it also ran, but we were unable to do it at Frampton as the land wasn't available…

Barn owls are one of my favourite animals and are a much-loved countryside bird. I was lucky enough to have a very close encounter with one whilst out on my bike one evening. It appeared from nowhere and flew right next to me as I peddled along for quite a while. Getting to see these beautiful creatures up close really made me realise how majestic and graceful they are. They are sometimes known as ghost owls due to their…

Honey, I'm hooooooooome :D 

Quite literally too. This is my first week back after moving house so feet are firmly rooted and looking forward to a busy few months at my second homes, the reserves of Frampton and Freiston.   

I'm going to start off this week with no bird sightings and not even a review but a nod to next week and a plea to all to make sure you visit us at LEAST once. We have some fantastic high tides…

To celebrate 30 fantastic years of the reserve and five fabulous years of the visitor centre, we are holding a big party on Sunday 3 August at Frampton Marsh. There will be lots for you to see and do. Get face to feeler with crabs and lobsters, brave the world of tiny terrors with some bug hunting, search for watery wildlife with a spot of pond dipping, enjoy the barbeque, make a bird box to take home and more!

Get…

Hi all,

Apologies for the brevity of this blog post. I know Toby does an all-singing all-dancing version. But time is not on my side having had a busy day with summer holiday activities for the kids and a visit from the local MP. So it is the quick and dirty version today...

Much of what is about is still the same from last time.

• Lesser yellowlegs is on the wet grassland, near the old carpark, usually to the north…

First of all just a big thank you to all the feedback from my map idea. It sounds like it went down pretty well and have been passed on a few thoughts so will unveil map version II after this weeks highlights.

Following on from our breaking news last week, Lincolnshire's fifteenth lesser yellowlegs did the right thing and stayed with us all week (still present at time of writing) and was appreciated by many (a few blog…

Here at Frampton Marsh, we’ve got loads of events over the holidays to keep the little ones entertained and get them closer to nature!

Running everyday we have our wildlife games treasure trail where you can learn fun facts about the sporting superstars of the animal kingdom. Pick up an entry sheet from the visitor centre before setting off around the surfaced trails. Answer the questions right and win a prize…

I know that the recent sightings runs from Friday to Thursday but hope you don't mind me sneak peaking a sighting from today in, especially if you use this blog to plan your weekend visits. A lesser yellowlegs was found on the reserve this morning and to celebrate I have tweaked the blog to provide a print out and keep 'Sightings Map' to bring with you on a visit :)

We'll start with a couple of what are probably…

Unfortunately last weeks excitement of a not one but TWO Mediterranean wanderers was very short lived indeed, as by the 27th we were back to a single Glossy Ibis. Not that we're grumbling about a solitary 'Black Curlew' it's more a shame for them as they looked to be getting on so well the day before. Still, the remaining bird continues to be well seen across the reserve, mostly frequenting the flooded grassland…

For the last two weeks, I’ve been lucky enough to spend some time down south with the National Trust at a couple of their properties. As a visitor services trainee, it was really interesting to work with a different organisation and to see what these places had to offer visitors. Quite a lot of my time was spent at Anglesey Abbey where there is a lovely house with gardens and a working mill and I also spent a day at Wicken…

Answer: Moths, they only eat holes!

*groan*

OK, bad jokes aside, I'd just like to take a little time to talk about a really under-rated group of creatures, the moths. Lots of love out there for butterflies, but as soon as you mention moths everyone suggests they just want to eat your clothes (which 99.99% don't) and say they are stupid things that fly into your face. Unfair! Moths can be lovely, and just as attractive…

Springwatch might have finished on the TV, but there is plenty of wildlife fun for you at the Frampton Marsh this weekend.

You can use high-tech gizmos to find some of the most mysterious of Lincolnshire’s creatures on Saturday night, from 9 pm.

Bats and moths are night-time fliers that you rarely see. But using sophisticated equipment, you will be able to listen in to bat’s high-pitched conversations. Then a…

After last week's double header of sightings, it's business as usual with a round up of what you can expect to see if you get chance to pop down this weekend. 

Following on from the big Glossy Ibis surprise last week (a first for the reserve if you remember) we were delighted to hear that a second bird was present on the 26th! This was notably larger and darker (a bit of internet research reveals this to be a male…

As you may recall, we've been working together with the Transported project quite a bit over the past year. Who can forget the six-foot dancing canary that graced us last year? Now there is a public art project, designed to bring a piece of artwork onto the reserve. The other week the short-listed designed were revealed at a special event in the visitor centre. If you missed it, here they are:

__

This was the winning…

Another double header this week as I was on farmer duties last week. We are doing some very unique management at Frampton and I may be so bold as to say it isn't being done anywhere else so was flat out overseeing it last Friday and unfortunately ran out of time to blog. Will try and make it worth the wait. 

Highlights of the last couple of weeks involve not one, not two but a hat trick of new additions to the Frampton…

It was a bit of a successful weekend down on the reserve, with exciting new species found.

The first was on Saturday when, in the middle of an otherwise fairly quiet afternoon we happened to be looking out of the windows and a large bird flew past, being mobbed by gulls. Large, dark, cruciform shape. The initial thought was cormorant. But it looked to be carrying something in its beak. Maybe a twig for nesting? But no…