I had arranged to meet good friend and fellow wildlife photographer Richard Tadman at Frampton, near Boston, so I was up early, breakfast and pack-up done and away not much after 7.00. Poor Richard had an earlier start as he had to travel from Huddersfield. It had turned foggy over night but by the time we met up at the reserve it had already begun to clear and turned into a hot day with clear skies giving rather contrariety light. We are never happy; too cloudy, no cloud, too windy, rain!!!! On the way down I noticed that some trees, especially horse chestnuts were already beginning to don their autumn colours and, despite the hot sun, there was a back end feel to the air. Although there were lots of birds around most were too far away for clear photographs but I still managed to almost fill two memory cards and, photography apart it was an excellent days birding. The highlight was the large numbers of black-tailed godwit (approximately 3000 - counted every one!). The birds were never settled and always restless and on the move producing a constant busy whistle. It was understandable as a peregrine mad regular forays into the flock causing them all to take to the air, filling the sky with their whistling and the sound of thousands of wings before they settled again. On one occasion the raider took a bird in front of the 360 hide, photographic reactions were, however, much too slow. From time to time I could hear wigeon whistling, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. This is one my favourite bird sounds and evocative of winter, fog shrouded marshes. I had a job spotting them at first until I realised that they were in eclipse plumage; I find ducks a nightmare to identify at this time of year. I was also pleased to see several little gulls but a non-bird highlight was the good views I had of three clouded yellow butterflies. These insects are really a continental species and rarely stray north of our south coast but this year, due to the hot summer, many have strayed as far north as Lincolnshire.
Birds seen during the day:
black-tailed todwit snipe knot dunlin redshank oystercatcher ruff mallard wigeon starling swallow swan greylag goose canada goose swan goldfinch greenfinch gadwall ringed plover little ringed plover avocet litte egret heron great black backed gull black headed gull little gull curlew moorhen coot pintail tufted duck pochard cormorant wood pigeon common sandpiper
Butterfly species
small tortoiseshell large white common blue clouded yellow.
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| Black-Tailed Godwit |
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| Some of the 300 Black-Tailed Godwit |
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| Black-Tailed Godwit |
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| Black-Tailed Godwit disturbed by a peregrine. |
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| Setting down again after the peregrine pass. |
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| Black-Tailed Godwit in flight. |
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| Nothing like a good scratch. |
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| Black-Tailed Godwit busy feeding. |
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| Lapwing |
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| Some of the 20+ little egrets at rest. |
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| Little Egret feeding |
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| Juvenile Little Ringed Plover |
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| Ruff |
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| Ruff |
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| Swallow |
Came across this today; a Cree Indian prophecy:
When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money.
Thought provoking!!
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