RSPB Frampton Marsh - 1st May 2021

 Jayne and I had our near annual trip to RSPB Frampton Marsh today. Because of lockdown, there are quite a few common species missing from my "year list", so today's trip added a whopping 24 species!!

The day started well, with our first Swift of the year, followed closely by Reed, Sedge and Garden Warbler. As always, this site held lots of waders, the best of which was a male Dotterel. Unfortunately, it was slightly too distant for a photo, unlikely a very "showy" Jack Snipe and Wood Sandpiper.

Jack Snipe

Wood Sandpiper

The total number of "new" species seen were:

114 - Reed Warbler

115 - Sedge Warbler

116 - Garden Warbler

117 - Greenshank

118 - Yellow Wagtail

119 - Shelduck

120 - Shoveler

121 - Swift

122 - Wigeon

123 - Teal

124 - Brent Goose (Dark-bellied)

125 - Wood Sandpiper

126 - Dunlin

127 - Ringed Plover

128 - Dotterel

129 - Black-tailed Godwit

130 - Bar-tailed Godwit

131 - Whimbrel

132 - Goldeneye

133 - Common Tern (4)

134 - Little Egret

135 - Avocet

136 - Golden Plover

137 - Jack Snipe

138 - Ruff

In addition, there was a male Ring-necked Duck on the reserve. We managed to see it, asleep(!), but later reports suggested that it was a Tufted x Ring-necked Duck hybrid, so it won't go down on the list. 

Year List 2020 begins

Hello, and welcome to the first blog post of 2020. This year's birding began at about 7am, when I was woken up by a singing Robin. followed closely by an alarm calling Blackbird and chirruping House Sparrows. Not a bad way to start a new year!

The next few birds (numbers 4 - 15) were seen in and over the garden, including a very nice surprise of a skein of Pink-footed Geese heard flying above the fog.

The remaining birds (numbers 16 - 38) were recorded in a few hours at Carsington Water. The obvious highlights being a bobbing Jack Snipe on the Visitor Centre Island and a juvenile Great Northern Diver fishing off Stones Island (both species I missed out on in 2019).

Year List update:
1 – Robin
2 – Blackbird
3 – House Sparrow
4 – Carrion Crow
5 – Starling
6 – Magpie
7 – Great Tit
8 – Woodpigeon
9 – Goldfinch
10 – Dunnock
11 – Blue Tit
12 – Greenfinch
13 – Coal Tit
14 – Collared Dove
15 – Pink-footed Goose
16 – Jackdaw
17 – Canada Goose
18 – Barnacle Goose
19 – Coot
20 – Mallard
21 – Tufted Duck
22 – Wigeon
23 – Snipe
24 – Jack Snipe
25 – Lapwing
26 – Redshank
27 – Black-headed Gull
28 – Lesser Black-backed Gull
29 – Mute Swan
30 - Gadwall
31 - Great Northern Diver
32 – Long-tailed Tit
33 – Rook
34 – Pheasant
35 – Great-crested Grebe
36 – Willow Tit
37 – Wren
38 – Bullfinch

Common and Jack Snipe

I spent a few hours at RSPB Old Moor in Barnsley today. Whilst there I spent the majority of the time watching Common and Jack Snipe from the Family Hide.

There were at least 7 Common Snipe on show, including 1 that fed in the grass in front of the hide. I managed to get some nice shots and a little video (see here).

Snipe

The Jack Snipe was also present in front of the hide for a short while, before flying off to island number 7, where it spent the next few hours. I didn't get any photos whilst it was near the hide unfortunately, but I did manage to get a few "digiscoped" efforts thanks to Amanda from the Chesterfield RSPB Group, who was at Old Moor volunteering. Thanks Amanda! Here's a shot of both species side by side for comparison.

Jack Snipe (back bird) and Common Snipe

Jack Snipe (left hand bird) and Common Snipe

Other birds seen from the hide included Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard, Coot, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Shelduck, Pied Wagtail , Kingfisher, Black-headed, Lesser Black-backed  and Common Gulls.

RSPB Titchwell

Whenever Jayne and I are in Norfolk we like to visit the Titchwell RSPB Reserve. We spent 3 hours there this afternoon, and had some excellent sightings including 6 new "year ticks".

The "best" new bird seen today was a Pectoral Sandpiper. Not only was this my first for a couple of years, but it was also my best ever views, and I even managed to get a half decent photo or two.

Pectoral Sandpiper

The other "year ticks" seen today were: Jack Snipe (brief sightings of 2 bobbing birds), Bearded Tit (heard, but not seen from the main path), Grey Plover (4 seen), Spotted Redshank (1 winter plumaged bird) and Bar-tailed Godwit (6 on the beach).

Bar-tailed Godwit

Amongst the many other birds seen today were: Marsh Harrier, Avocet, Dunlin, Redshank, Little Stint, Snipe, Sanderling, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Golden Plover, Ruff, Cetti's Warbler, Redwing, Grey Heron, Little Egret and Black-tailed Godwit.

Little Egret

Back-tailed Godwit

Year List update:
177 – Bearded Tit
178 – Bar-tailed Godwit
179 – Grey Plover
180 – Jack Snipe
181 – Pectoral Sandpiper

182 – Spotted Redshank