So far this year my plan of visiting reserves I've not visited before has gone very well and I've seen some great birds and been able to take some decent shots.Unfortunately this good run ended with my latest trip into deepest Lincolnshire where I struggled to find some good birds and to get any decent shots.Mind you to be fair it was not the best time of year to see birds.
I set out early on Wednesday morning to drive to Gibraltar Point approx. 130 miles away.I did not have a good journey and it took me ages.I hit jams in Stamford and Boston and it didn't help when I found myself speeding down the A16 to Grimsby.
Parked up in the first car park at Gibraltar Point at 9.30 AM and headed to the two hides that overlook the Tennyson's pools.The hides provided good views over the ponds where Avocets,Little Egrets and approx. 200 Black-tailed Godwits were on view.Took some shots of the Godwits.
The Godwits quite often took to the air and I managed a few flight shots.Great to see so many flying around.
I struggled to get shots of the Avocets because they wouldn't come close and there was little brightness.
Things went downhill after that and I never used the camera once during the rest of my stay.I did do a lot of walking though starting with a walk to Mill Hill from where you can see the sea but couldn't see any birds in all the bushes and trees except Common Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers.I bet this is a very good spot in the Autumn for migrants though.
I then drove to the main car park to have lunch.The Centre is closed due to extensive flood damage and temporary facilities have been provided.Walks to the Wash viewing point and the bird observatory were enjoyable but no birds were seen except a Peregrine which flew across the South marsh.
On Thursday I had an early breakfast in my hotel and set off at 8.00 AM to Frampton Marsh about 25 miles away.Before I reached there I made a minor detour and called in at another RSPB reserve at Freiston Shore.The weather was superb there and the place was very picturesque.I enjoyed my short walk round but except for several Little Egrets the place was dominated by BH Gulls.
Got to Frampton Marsh at not long after 9.00 AM in superb weather and was much more impressed with the place than I was with Gibraltar Point.
Headed down the path to the 360 degree hide where I spent an hour having a good look round.Besides Little Egrets the only other decent birds on show were Avocets.
A decent stay in the reedbed hide resulted in me not finding the Med. Gull that was there somewhere.Mind you there were hundreds of BH Gulls to sift through first.Heading back to the car park for some lunch I went int butterfly mode when I saw my first Painted Lady for a few years now.
After a spot of lunch back in birding mode I tried to find some Warblers etc. to shoot.The Reed Bunting was singing it's head off and the Sedge Warbler was along the roadway.Failed yet again to get a shot of some Reed Warblers that were showing in the reeds.
I then had a walk down the Wet Grassland trail where the bushes were alive with birds.I had another battle with a least 2 Lesser Whitethroats but as usual didn't get a shot despite them being very close.A couple I met on the path told me a Little Owl was showing well on the fence at the back of a barn but when I got there "showing well" had a different meaning.
It was while I was straining to see the Owl a Cuckoo that had been calling somewhere a long way off appeared to be calling much closer but from behind me out of view due to a tall hedge.The calling suddenly got very loud and the bird flew right over my head.Caught off guard again I was only able to get this shot as it flew away.
Garganeys had been reported in the Wet Grassland that morning but I'm not sure if this is one.It was a long way off.
By early afternoon I was not only knackered but very hot so I headed off back home.Glad I made the trip but didn't do well.Didn't really like Gibraltar Point but found Frampton Marsh pretty good.Where to go next.That's the question.
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