Category Archives: Uncategorized

Early start today due to the draw of Flycatchers in the area. I arrived in the Langsett barns Car park at about 8:20am, to a nearly empty car park, good timing on my part, got the gear together and off I went.

On route to the Flycatcher area I passed a singing Chiffchaff and a Goldfinch, I didn’t find anything on the reservoir or the dam wall. Eventually I got to the wood, starting here with the sound of Nuthatch, Blue Tits and Great Tits. I made my way slowly thru the wood, stopping occasionally, to look and listen, but no Flycatchers. A small group of people had started to follow me, presumably with the same goal in mind, one lady finally found our quarry, a single female Pied Flycatcher, going into a nest box, a distant one, well away from the path.

We watched for a while, people eventually started to drift away, leaving me to myself, so I settled in and continued to watch. I watched the female Pied Flycatcher come and go, with nest material, with the Male Pied Flycatcher popping in occasionally, due to the distance I couldn’t get any decent photos, the Nikon P950 is good for reach, but the AF is awful. Other bird highlights were Nuthatch and a Great spotted Woodpecker.

After dinner I went around to the other side of the reservoir, after parking up and getting out of the car I heard Raven, suddenly they were overhead, three birds in total, they stayed around for about fifteen minutes, flying around and calling, a great sight to watch, there were also in the area, Swallows, Red Grouse, Skylarks and Willow Warbler.

On then to Wombwell Ings, a friends birthday, we ended up at Adwick Washlands seeing, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Dunnock and Robin on our way into the reserve. At the first pool were plenty of Avocets, a few nice looking Black tailed Godwits, Redshank, a few Black headed Gulls, Teal, Gadwall, Lapwing, Moorhen and Coot.

On then to the lookout area, after watching a showy Cetti’s Warbler, to hopefully find our target birds Yellow Wagtails and Wheatear, we saw neither, we moved on further down the lane to another pool, this one was half dry, but Yellow Wagtails were eventually seen, at least three birds seem, maybe four.

After a tip off, we went back down to the lookout area, seeing a few Swallows overhead and a Little Egret dropping in. At the lookout area, back looking for the Wheatear, a no show, but a Sedge Warbler made a quick burst of song, just to say it was there, attention went back to the Wheatear, which eventually popped up into view

Birds at Langsett : Blackbird, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Kestrel, Mallard, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Flycatcher, Pied Wagtail, Raven, Red Grouse, Song Thrush, Swallow, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon (23)

Birds at Adwick : Avocet, Black headed Gull, Black tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Green Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, lapwing, Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover, Long tailed Tit, Mallard, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Warbler, Robin, Shoveler, Skylark, Song Thrush, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Wren, Yellow Wagtail (42) 154/200

Another sunny day and another day at Old Moor, the draw today was a pair of Black necked Grebes, they would be a new species for me at Old Moor (121), for this location. It wasn’t long before stepping into the reserve, that I was distracted by the song of a Reed Warbler (149), near the crossroads, so I stop in the hope of seeing it, maybe a photo too, I saw it moving around in the reeds, then it flew out seeing off a Blue Tit.

I made my way down towards the wader scrape, stopping first at the lookout hide, in the hope of yesterday’s Mediterranean Gulls but no joy, after looking thru countless Black headed, Lesser Black backed and Herring Gulls, other birds were Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Teal, Moorhen, Coot, Mute Swan, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, and Cormorants.

Moving on then to Wader Scrape via Green Lane, overlooking the mere as I went, Redshank, Oystercatcher, seen, then I saw the Black necked Grebes but try as I could I couldn’t get a photo, think it was low down and heat haze that was the problem, I also had the problem with a Little Egret in the same area. After the Grebes I decided on putting my concentration in to the insects, seeing, Common Wasps, Bees, Spiders, Gorse Shieldbugs, Butterflies around were Brimstone, Green veined White, Orange tip, Peacocks, and Speckled Woods and also a Willow Warbler.

After my time at Old Moor I called in at Wombwell Ings, to see the male Garganey, took some finding, it was at the far side of the lake, need help in doing so, also on show were Skylarks, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Greenshank (150), Redshanks, Canada and Egyptian Geese

Birds Seen : Black headed Gull, Black necked Grebe, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Garganey, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenshank, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Long tailed Tit, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pochard, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Robin, Ruff, Shelduck, Shoveler, Skylark, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren (43) 150/200

Butterflies Seen : Brimstone, Green veined White, Orange tip, Peacock, Speckled Wood

Little Egret

Weevil Species

A day out with friends today, first port of call was Blacktoft Sands, taking in the farmland a around Blacktoft, finding Meadow Pipits, and a single Corn Bunting.

At Blacktoft, we ventured into the Marshland hide first, seeing our target bird here, the Garganey, male and female birds, sleeping most of the time, occasionally lifting there heads, other birds at Marshland were Avocet, Black tailed Godwit, Shoveler, Snipe, Teal and Sand Martins, with a Barn Owl in the nest box. We made our way thru the reserve to the sound of Cetti’s Warblers, Blue Tit and Chaffinch, we saw many Marsh Harriers at Blacktoft, from various hides. At the feeders were Tree Sparrow, Great Tit and Chaffinch.

Our next port of call was North Cave Wetlands, with the Turret Hide being our first port of call, hoping for a Bittern, this wasn’t to be, so we made our way back to the shelter where we got sight of a Little Ringed Plover along with Shelduck, Redshank, and Tufted Duck. At the feeders, further along Dryham Lane, Goldfinch, Linnet, Long tailed Tit, Wren, and Robin.

With Bittern being our main target, we decided on going around to Far Ings, back on the road and across the bridge. On arrival we went to the East Ness Hide, where eventually I had my best ever encounter with Bitterns, what and ending

Birds at Blacktoft : Avocet, Barn Owl, Black tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Corn Bunting, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Gadwall, Garganey, Great Tit, Greylag Goose, Lesser Black backed Gull, Linnet, Little Grebe, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Reed Bunting, Rook, Sand Martin, Shoveler, Skylark, Stock Dove, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Tufted Duck Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren (36)

Birds at North Cave : Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Coot, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greylag Goose, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Linnet, Little Grebe, Little Ringed Plover, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Pochard, Redshank, Robin, Shelduck, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, Wren (28) 145/200

Bittern

Black tailed Godwit

Little Egret

First port of call was to Bourne for the Dark Breasted Barn Owl. Arrived early to a few cars already parked along the road side, staying in the car, we eventually , were entertained to a great display by the Barn Owl . This bird originates in North East and Central Europe.

We then moved onto Deeping Lakes, a place run by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, a small reserve, but lots to see, large car park, but no amenities. Viewing from the car park, Sand Martin a plenty, coming and going to the Martin bank. Moving on from the car park and along the river, to place, where a viewing, where we could view the Glossy Ibis (2) and a single Cattle Egret along with Snipe, Egyptian Geese, the sound of Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff. Further on we saw Little Egret, Little Owl and Green Woodpeckers. Further into the reserve we were showed where a roosting Long eared Owl, the Owl was partially obscured, but a nice sighting anyways. Other birds on sight were Black headed Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Goldeneye, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Mallard, Mute Swan, Pochard, Teal, Red Kite, and Woodpigeon.

We then moved onto Eldernell, it was raining when we turned up, so we had dinner, watching Marsh Harrier, Spoonbill, Little and Great Egret from the car, we eventually moved off and we went down to the Tawny Owl roost site, it took some finding, but finding it we did.

Our last call of the day was to RSPB Frampton Marsh, and made our way down to the saltmarsh as soon as we arrived, as we made our way down, we saw the drake Scaup, Avocets, Black tailed Godwits, Sand Martins, the female Peregrine was on the barn, Spoonbill, Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, always lots to see at Frampton.

At the saltmarsh, it was now very windy, a few Meadow Pipits, Brent Geese, a few Marsh Harriers, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine again, we were hoping for a Short eared Owl, to make it five Owls for the day, none showed up, but at 5:15pm however, a Ringtail Hen Harrier showed up

Birds at Deeping Lakes: Black headed Gull, Cattle Egret, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Glossy Ibis, Goldeneye, Green Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Little Egret, Little Owl, Long eared Owl, Mallard, Mute Swan, Pochard, Red Kite, Red legged Partridge, Robin, Sand Martin, Snipe, Teal, Tufted Duck, Whooper Swan, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer (33)

Birds ar RSPB Nene Washes (Eldernell) : Great White Egret, Little Egret, Shelduck, Spoonbill, Tawny Owl (5)

Birds at Frampton Marsh : Avocet, Black headed Gull, Black tailed Godwit, Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Goldeneye, Greylag Goose, Hen Harrier, Lapwing, Linnet, Little Egret, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Meadow Pipit, Peregrine, Pintail, Pochard, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Sand Martin, Scaup, Shelduck, Shoveler, Snipe, Sparrowhawk, Spoonbill, Starling, Teal, Wigeon, Woodpigeon (33) 142/200

Butterflies : Comma, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell

A few of the birds can be seen on this Video, especially the Dark breasted Barn Owl HERE