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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

Today I was out on a visit to a local site, Pugneys Country Park, about 20mins drive from home, why was I at Pugneys, I had come down to try and find an American bird the Green winged Teal.

The Green winged Teal was last seen on the nature reserve lake and not the main lake, so I headed out towards the nature reserve lake. Settling into the hide, it was a matter of scanning thru all the ducks on site, there were Tufted Ducks, Cormorants, Grey Herons which seemed to building a nest close to the hide location, one bird was actively flying too and fro with nesting material, mainly large sticks, still scanning, Gulls about were Lesser Black backed Gull, Herring Gull, and Black headed Gull, a few Great Crested Grebe were present along with Coots and Moorhens, but alas no Teal at all.

I then walked over to the other hide, which overlooks the main lake, adding Wigeon and Goldeneye to the day. I then went walking around to the flooded fields, in vain the hope, but only saw a few Blackbirds.

So as a last resort I went back to the Nature Reserve Hide, and once again settled in, with eventually a couple more birders joining me, so with further searching we managed to find some Common Teal, hiding amongst the reeds, and with close scrutiny, I finally managed to find the Green winged, it was really tucked away in the reeds. I kept an eye on it in the hope it was the one, it did eventually give itself up for a brief moment, but positive identification was certain, then it went even deeper into the reeds and not seen again, hence giving no photos’

Another visit on the 16th, didn’t bear fruit either at Pugneys, so I went onto Sands Lane (Mirfield) again in the hope of a Caspian Gull, see video HERE for the results

Birds Seen at Pugneys : Black headed Gull, Blackbird, Cetti’s Warbler, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Green winged Teal, Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pochard, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, Wigeon (includes birds from the 16th visit) (23)

Birds Seen at Sands Lane : Black headed Gull, Canada Goose, Caspian Gull, Common Gull, Cormorant, Goosander, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Kestrel, Lesser Black backed Gull, Magpie, Mallard, Pied Wagtail (13) (112/200)

Herring Gull

Caspian Gull (First Winter)

Pied Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

Never heard of the place, until this last week, when a Black Redstart and Twite had drawn my attention. I arrived at Knott End early, then took a look around the area where the birds had been last seen, no show, but there was plenty of other birds to look thru, out on the mudflats were Redshank, Oystercatchers, Dunlin, and Curlews. Out on the sea, I picked up plenty of Shelduck and also Eider.

Around 9:30am, an hour after I’d been there, other birders started to arrive, couple of guys pointed a Peregrine out on the mud flats, it had taken a seat on a tree branch, and during the morning sat there for a while, until a dog walker disturbed it and took flight, there was still no sign of the target birds. I got talking to another couple, local birders, after the chat, I decided on going around the back of the hotel, where the couple said, that that’s where the Black Redstart usually hangs out. Sure enough after about five minutes of looking I spotted it, a distance away, and I couldn’t get nearer due to railings, I put other birders on to it, then went taking video footage of other birds that were around, the Twite were a no show.

Then it was down to Southport for Snow Bunting and Twite, but on looking around Southport they were a no show here too, could have been down to the amount of dogs and walkers about, so I went to RSPB Marshside for the rest of the day. At Marshside were plenty of Tufted Duck, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Moorhen, Canada Goose, last place to look around was across the road at the saltmarsh, here I saw Marsh Harrier, Grey Heron, plenty of Pink footed Geese, Canada Geese, Little Egret, and Great Egret to finish the day

Video of the Day can be seen HERE

Birds at Knott End: Black Redstart, Black headed Gull, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Great Black backed Gull, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Magpie, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Redshank, Shelduck, Turnstone, Woodpigeon (18)

Birds at Marshside: Black headed Gull, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Coot, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Pink footed Goose, Pintail, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, (16) 109/200