A very unexpected opportunity became available for me to go birdwatching at Titchwell Marsh today! Ruddy Nora, where on earth do I start with this mammoth account? Errm..... ah-ha!
: 11:15 - 16:20
- Mild but thick cloud persisting all day. Rain started shortly after 16:15
Thanks to Dad, who drove me there, and then left me on my own while he and my mother went for a walk at Wells-next-the-Sea, where they saw their first Chiffchaff and Sanderling. Thanks also to all the people that let me look through their scopes, and to the person that helped me get two lifers! Off the back of my time with geoff at Freiston last weekend, I went to Titchwell feeling much more confident as a birder, but a bit lonely with no other dedicated birder with me.
Before I plunge headlong into the list, there's the small matter of my 2 new Lifers!
PING, THE BEARDED TIT - 7 seen flying around the tips of the reeds
BOOM, THE BITTERN - heard booming at the same time I had ticked the Bearded Tits, and seen flying low over reeds five minutes after the boom! A WOO AND A HOO!!!!!!!
Life List now at 141!
OTHER SPECIES SEEN:** Takes deepest breath of her life **
MARSH HARRIER - 5 flying around reserve. Saw 2 females and 3 males
WHEATEAR - 2 in adjacent fields
SWALLOW - a virtual plethora of new arrivals in over North sea, perhaps as many as 30! 1 over Chain Bridge on the way
SAND MARTIN - 6
CHIFFCHAFF - 4
WILLOW WARBLER - 2
Buzzard - 1 over Titchwell village
Sparrowhawk - 1 seen from Fen Hide
Great Crested Grebe - 1 on South forty foot on way there
Little Grebe - 3 on lagoons at Titchwell
Mallard - everywhere
Wigeon - 2 on lagoon seen from the Parrinder Hide
Tufted Duck - 6
Shelduck - 30
Gadwall - 5 pairs
Teal - 1
Shoveler - 20
Brent Goose - large flock of 600 or so
Greylag Goose - 1 pair, with 6 young chicks
Mute Swan - 4
Avocet - many, perhaps 100, on the 3 lagoons
Sanderling - small flock of 20 on beach, few more slightly further along
Turnstone - 3 at water's edge
Oystercatcher - 30 at water's edge, another 20 or so on lagoons
Dunlin - 1 on beach
Grey Plover - 2 on beach
Black-tailed Godwit - 1 on lagoon next to beach
Lapwing - 2 seen from Parrinder Hide
Snipe - 2 seen from Parrinder Hide
Moorhen - 3 pairs, 2 of them with chicks
Coot - 5 pairs, 3 with chicks
Little Egret - 2
Black-headed Gull - thousands everywhere
Herring Gull - 4 on beach, 6 dotted round reserve, others in air
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2
Usual Woodpigeons and Collared Doves (INCLUDING a pair of Woodpigeons mating boisterously on top of the feeding station in full public view!)
Rook, Magpie, Crows, Jackdaw - all over the place
Cetti's Warbler - seen and heard whilst in Fen Hide
Sedge Warbler - seen on high clump of brambles along main path to the beach
Reed Bunting - 1 pair near to sand dunes
Skylark - 2 over reserve
Goldfinch - flock of 10 along road to car park
Chaffinch - 10 near bird feeders
Greenfinch - 3 on feeders
Long-tailed Tit - 10 at various places
Blue Tit - 1 in garden before leaving
House Sparrow - 1 on overhead wires near Tesco
Blackbird - seen all over the place
Robin - 9 in total at various places
Starling - usual hundreds here, there and everywhere
Song Thrush - 3 seen on Sleaford Road
DIPPED OUT ON - Blackcap, Goldcrest, Ringed Plover, Montagu's Harrier (BUMMER!), House Martin, Ring Ouzel and Red-crested Pochard, reported seen early - mid morning.
PHEW - that must be somewhere between 50 and 60 species?
NEXT ANTICIPATED OUT-OF-LINCOLNSHIRE VISIT: Possibly Attenborough reserve near Nottingham or Colwick Park (also near Nottingham). N.W.T Cley Marshes planned for July.
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