Rod's Birding: A day in Lincolnshire & Rutland

After the recent heatwave, it was now much more pleasant with fresher winds and lower temperatures. It was quiet on the bird front and after some discussion David, Roger and I thought are best options was to go to Frampton Marsh, where there were at least a few waders and a couple of Spoonbills.

We left David’s and headed towards Stanford and then onto Spalding and arriving at Frampton marsh just before 09:00. We had seen a Buzzard near Great Glen and a Red Kite at Tallington but not a lot else.

We drove down to the car park near the sea wall and began scanning the marshes both to the south and the north. There were far more birds to the north, including good numbers of Avocet and Redshank, a single summer-plumaged Ruff and 100+ Black-tailed Godwit. To the north there were smaller numbers of both Avocet and Redshank and a single Little Ringed Plover and another summer-plumage Ruff.

Having not found yesterday’s Spotted Redshank or Greenshank we walked to the sea wall and then north-east along the wall. We continued scanning the area but generally saw more of the same but did find two Barnacle Geese, a single Brent Goose and a Ringed Plover and there was a Red Kite over the saltmarsh. David had gone on ahead and called to say there were two Spoonbills beyond the East Hide but Roger and I couldn’t see them and so joined David, when they became obvious but distant.

David had gone ahead of Roger and I again and when we joined him East Hide, he hadn’t seen much else and was trying to get photos of the Spoonbills, which was doing what they do best, which is sleeping. We spent quite some time in the hide but the Spoonbills remained asleep as did a nearby Whooper Swan. David and Roger then left the hide to look for a couple of Red-crested Pochard that were apparently visible further along the path back towards the visitor’s centre.

Spoonbills

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull being harassed by a Black-headed Gull

After about ten minutes with still no sign of either the Spoonbills or Whooper Swan moving I followed David and Roger. When I reached the end of the path leading to the hide there were a couple photographing a moth. I though it looked a bit like a Mullein but having seen only one, wasn’t at all certain but my app suggested that it might be, although there were a couple of other potential species.

After taking a few shots of the moth, I walked on and found Roger looking across the marsh and indicating he had found a Spotted Redshank. He gave me directions from the two Red-crested Pochard and there was a rather superb adult Spotted Redshank feeding just out from a spit. Roger went to find David and whilst he was away a second bird appeared before they both disappeared behind an island. When David and then Roger returned they still hadn’t reappeared but it wasn’t too long before we found them again and this time well to the left where they had been originally. There was also a pair of Little Ringed Plovers with four tiny young and a Ruff and David found a Pintail.

We eventually continued around the circuit towards Reedbed Hide when we saw a Dunlin and a Snipe in flight and there was a first-summer Common Tern amongst small party of adults. We entered Reedbed Hide and found the two Barnacle Geese bathing on the edge of one of the islands and another Ruff further back on the lagoon.

Barnacle Geese

Barnacle Goose

Female Pochard

As we were walking back towards the sea wall there was some disturbance with almost everything getting up, including the two Spoonbills. Scanning the area, we found a Red Kite over the marsh but it then moved off south. The Spoonbills continued flying towards and I eventually got some shots before they flew back to the north.

Spoonbills

Immature Spoonbill

We drove to the main car park for lunch and then went into the visitor’s centre where we found the other birder that had photographed the as yet unidentified moth discussing it with one of the wardens and we eventually agreed that it was a Star-wort.

Star-wort

Having discussed several options for the afternoon we felt Blood Oaks Quarry would be the best place to go and set off back towards Stamford seeing several Kestrel on route. Having reached Stamford, we had to do a detour through the town as there was a pageant through the streets. We eventually got back on track for Bloody Oaks Quarry and arrived just before 14:30.

We walked through the gate into this small reserve and found a good number of Marbled Whites as we progressed down the track and then several Dark-green Fritillaries, particularly on the top section. There were three Small Tortoiseshells on area where cuttings are placed and there were also plenty of Ringlets but we only saw a couple of Meadow Browns. Further along the track we found at least four Large Skippers, a Common Blue and a Comma. Normally we find a few of day flying moths at this site but today we saw just two Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnets and a single Nettle Tap.