Eleven members had a rather abbreviated trip due to the leaders inability to make the earlier, insane time of 07:30 (which many seemed quite pleased about). Instead, we met just before 10:00 and after a brief chat to the reserve’s manager who explained some of the developments that were in progress, we got onto the reserve and headed for the Reed Bed Hide where Jack Snipe had been seen in previous days. The wind was unfortunately quite strong which might have been good for the local turbines but rubbish for spotting Bearded Tits. From the hide we had good but distant views of a Green Sandpiper and a juvenile/female Marsh Harrier put in an appearance to which a pair of local Crows objected too most vigorously. Then one of the ‘locals’ spotted a Jack Snipe. After a few anxious minutes, everyone managed to get a sighting of this skulking bird. However, as time passed it did emerge from the reeds and gave good views of the dark stripe down the centre of its head and its split supercilium. Turning its back on us revealed the broad and very bright yellow back stripes.

Jack Snipe showing split supercilium

‘Jack Sniped’ out, we moved on and while some went back to the cars to collect lunch, the rest of us moved to the brand new family hide. Here we had sighting of a single Pintail but

Pair of Shovellers and a sleeping Pintail

the main entertainment came courtesy of a juvenile Peregrine which made a number of failed assaults on the surrounding bird life on the Mere. On one occasion, as it passed over the distant trees, a couple of angry Buzzards flew up and flashed their talons at it.

Juvenile Peregrine feeling a bit down hearted

Fed and watered, the group moved on to the Wath Ings Hide where sadly, and rather surprisingly, there was little of note although one sharp eyed spotter picked up the flash of a Kingfisher.
All in all, a bit quiet although with some memorable highlights – 44 species all told.
Photos taken by Joyce Sawford and Martin Kaye

Seventeen folk enjoyed Frampton Marsh in glorious warm sunny weather. On the way to the sea wall, the first bird of note was a Curlew Sandpiper in almost full breeding plumage and this held up proceedings for a while delaying the ‘main meal’ of the day, the Pacific

The Ogston team on the sea wall

Golden Plover.  Easy to find by first locating the line of scopes and cameras. The main differences between this species and the Golden Plover when seen at a distance, is that the

former has more white over the eye, down the neck and a bulge of white on the upper breast.  In addition, the back is more coarsely patterned. However, it would need to be a very knowledgeable birder to make the ID. In addition to the Plover, there was a supporting cast of a Short-eared Owl, Kestrels, a Peregrine, Marsh Harrier and great White Egret. As a consequence it was difficult to drag the group away to explore the rest of the reserve.
Continuing north along the sea wall, we had sightings of both Ruff, Avocets, Little Ringed

and Ringed Plovers, 12+ Greenshank, 15 Spoonbills, a juvenile Scaup, Snipe, Yellow Wagtails and Common Terns. From the East Hide, we got close views of the massed ranks

Guardian of the marsh

of Black-tailed Godwits interspersed with Knot, some of which sported their brick red breeding plumage. Surprisingly, there was little to see from the 360 hide except a large flock of Linnets. In the afternoon, we concentrated on the Reed Bed part of the reserve, getting excellent views of.a male Scaup, huge numbers of Dunlin and Ringed Plover, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Green Sandpiper. In addition, this part of the reserve was alive with butterflies including a Holly Blue.

A very enjoyable day with 57 bird species recorded.
On the return home, some members took a diversion to Freiston Shore and their luck held with views of the Black Stork.

Black Stork – Freiston Shore

Photos courtesy of Steve Sutcliffe, Joyce Sawford and the mediocre ones of the Pacific Golden Plover – Martin Kaye.

Initially the weather was quite cool and still, which didn’t encourage raptors to take to the air. Nonetheless 17 members enjoyed an interesting trip with plenty to see. All in all 52 bird species were identified plus an occasional dragonfly and 3 brown hares. On the walk round the lakes, we were serenaded with bird song allowing members to brush up on their listening ID skills of the different warblers; Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Whitethroats, and Reed Warblers plus Skylarks and Reed Buntings were notably present. Top spots for the water birds must go to the Black-necked Grebes and Little Ringed

Black-necked Grebe

Plovers which kept the group entertained for quite some time. As the morning progressed, it gradually became warmer and the wind picked up a little but other than a fleeting glimpse of a Kestrel, the birds of prey remained stubbornly absent until towards the end of the morning when a couple of Buzzards were seen over the woodland to the north

Ten of the seventeen Black-necked Grebe spotting

east. Sadly, though, no Hobbies. And then my phone rang – it was Nottinghamshire police wanting to speak to one of our members who had joined the trip but seemingly left her car door open. The kindly copper ascertained that she had her car keys before locking it. Right, back to birding!  Returning to the initial view over the lake diligence finally paid off when Dag Marshall picked up a Honey Buzzard at some distance circling on flat wings. Any doubts as to the ID of this bird were dispelled when it flew close by. How the early leavers must have regretted their premature departure.

Photos thanks to J Marshall