The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Wednesday evening on the rising tide off Waters Edge there seemed like the prospect of a skua or some Black Terns with a light easterly and clear skies. A flock of Oystercatchers passed unseen calling along with a flock of Greenshank then a scan to the east revealed a party of 12 Common Scoter off Saltend gaining height in typical see saw fashion before making an assault on the Humber bridge. A flock of 37 Oystercatchers passed the scoters and gained height eventually passing well above the bridge en route no doubt for the Dee. The scoters meanwhile jinked and suddenly found another 56 birds joining into a compact gang of 68; after about 10 minutes they had gained enough height and headed for the bridge passing over at about 1000 feet. A Little Egret landed and fed on Wedge and a flock of 12 Common Sands tried to roost but were disturbed by too many people enjoying the nice evening though the flock increased to 15 probably a local recent record. A scan inland over the town showed that there were at least 300 Swifts still wheeling around not a bad total for August 7th. Fast forward to the 8 th and decide to fell a garden tree. Taking a break to watch the swifts overhead a raptor appears to the west, dash inside for the bins, amazingly pick it up approaching the garden honey buzzard! Christ run inside for the camera -- big error why do we do this? By the time I have fallen over several obstacles and got back out with the camera it is nowhere to be seen but about 3 mins later a raptor very high to the north, surely the same bird? but its a Common Buzzard. So how hard did I look at the first bird before I ran inside -- maybe not well enough but could there have been 2 birds? Its an age old dilema and probably one that got away but so be it, better safe than sorry. So settle down in a chair in the garden to see what I am missing. The Swifts 50 or 60 suddenly start to concentrate and a tight group of 200 suddenly develops and disappears south at height, are they leaving? A Yellow Wagtail flies over, a juv and adult Sparrowhawk sparring, a Kestrel hovers over the street, a fine male Migrant Hawker inspects the pond then a juvenile Med Gull flies over. Clearly I should look up more but maybe spend more time in the garden as well!