Kirkby on Bain 5th December 2009

Well, the weather started off nicely. I wasn’t going to do any birding this weekend, but I took an hour out to Kirkby on Bain, 2pm – 3pm.

There wasn’t a lot going on. The reserve has been tidied up for the winter, with much of the crap cleared away and the water level was higher than usual.

There were about 20 shoveler, a few coots and moorhens, 5 little grebe, about 30 teal and about a dozen widgeon. A mixture of gulls included about 10 lesser black backed, three common gulls and 30 black headed.

A nice group of 5 redshank flew in but by then the light was starting to fade as the weather closed in. Across the road, from the entrance to the car park, there was a flock of about 15 long-tailed tits performing in the trees.

Hagnaby Lock 22 November 2009

The weather started off fine, loads of sunshine and hardly any wind.  So off I set.  Got into the hide, not much there but a lot of promise especially when the Sunday walkers had left the far edge of the reserve.

Once the lagoon had settled down there were 120 greylag geese, with some difficult varieties mixed in.  Some might have been pinkfoot geese, but they would not oblige by going ashore for leg inspections.  So any identification had to be by bill and head colours. Was one of them an immature whitefront?

There were also 4 Canada geese.

There were 10 - 12 wigeon and loads of mallard and teal.  A grey heron wandered around the lagoon but didn't seem to find much.  Two tufted duck and the usual smattering of coots and moorhens.  About 20 black headed gulls turned up.



 

Then the wind got up and the rain started.  Time to go, I thought.

Kirkby on Bain15th November 2009

I wasn't going to do any birding today, I thought I just had too much to do.  At about 2pm I thought sod it, I've got a bit of time to spare, so off I went.  Traffic was awful, road works on the main road, but I got about 45 minutes in.

There was not alot going on.  Very bright sunlight, quiet, peaceful, this beats washing up!  There were two egrets, just visiting.  Honestly, these birds are becoming more and more frequent.  One solitary redshank, about 50 teal, and a scattering of the usual suspects.  I thought I saw a strange raptor over the pine trees, but lost it.  Then saw it again for quite good views.  It was a marsh harrier,we decided, haven't seen many of those around lately.

Main point of interest were shovellers.  There were a total of 32 today, I've not seen that many together for a long time.  Many of them (about 20 at one stage) were in a raft swimming round and round as if they were stirring up food.  I think the water is about 2 feet deep there.  I managed to make a small movie clip.   I'll put a picture up as well.  Next time I must put up anything that's not a shoveller!

Kirkby on Bain 8th November 20009

Thought I’d see if the ring-necked duck was still at Kirkby on Bain, but it seems to have left.  Not a lot going on today,  but I did see the following:   a buzzard in the pine trees off the reserve.  Very long way away, so no photos.  I could only really tell it was a buzzard when it flew off.  Three whooper swans few across the reserve and I suspect found the gravel pits further down.  There were the usual teal, mallard, coots, moorhens and little grebes.  One water rail showed itself for about 30 seconds then went back into cover.  Also, about 50 assorted gulls, mainly black headed, but included  two herring gulls and four common gulls.   A flock of about 40 lapwings appeared briefly.

Just before it was time to leave, a pair of shovellers  appeared - chance of a quick photo!

Hagnaby Lock 1st November 2009

This morning it was raining heavily and quite windy.  Just the job for an hour or so of birdwatching.  Hagnaby seemed inviting.  So 10.30 - 11.45am found me in the hide.  Well, the wind was a bit stronger than I expected and the rain a lot heavier.  But there was some birdlife about.  Definitely good weather for ducks.  About 50 teal and about 70 mallard.  Three cormorants in the dead trees on the island.  The occasional moorhen and backward flying gulls.  But, sheltering on the island was a really handsome sparrowhawk.  I tried to get a decent photo, but the wind was too strong to avoid camera shake.  So what you see is the best of over 100 shots.

Freiston Shore 26th October 2009

Took myself to Freiston Shore for an hour or so, 2pm - 3pm ish.  Very quiet from birding point of view, but lots of people around walking themselves and their dogs.

I really wanted to get a picture of a tree sparrow, but although there is a little colony, they weren't going to pose for me today!  Another day perhaps, because they're always there.

The hide was very quiet, but for me the highlight was this whooper swan

Also around were about 20 redshank, 10 lapwings, 2 oystercatchers, 8-10 little grebes, mallard and blackheaded gulls about 20 each.  5-6 pied wagtails, 2 herring gulls and one lesser blackbacked gull.  One shoveller.  Overfly about 30 brent geese.  One shelduck.

Frampton Marsh 24th October 2009

I keep saying I'm going to visit Frampton Marsh now that it's been re-vamped, so today I took the plunge.  After all, it's the nearest reserve to where I live!  Before the RSPB developed the site, I used to cycle to the mouth of the Haven, which is alongside the reserve, and that really was a good site.  I sort of expected today's trip to be similar, but really the weather was against me.  There was a stiff breeze with a low drizzley cloud and I just wasn't dressed for it.  Also, I didn't want to take the camera out of it's bag in the rain. My glasses kept misting over - I think I needed spectacle windscreen wipers.  On the plus side, it was near high tide and there was a lot going on.  Just couldn't see it!

So what did I see?  I didn't go into the hides, mainly because I wanted a view of the marsh rather than the lagoons - which seemed pretty empty.  I went onto the sea wall.  There were six little egrets, three of which flew over the sea wall accompanied by two curlew.  About 20 goldfinches, feeding on a teazle patch.  Redshank and blackheaded gulls all over.  I could hear masses of curlew and other waders, but saw about 5 curlew, about 20 redshank and several skylarks, meadow pipits and reed buntings.  A flock of about 20 linnets.

There were about 50 brent geese grazing, see photo, but the mist was so bad they were just on the edge of visibility.  One hen harrier, and a lagoon with about 50 teal, but also hiding 5 redshank, 6 dunlin, one black tailed godwit. 

Apparently I missed some lapland buntings.  Oh well!  But I'll definitley go back again.