The Lincolnshire Bird Club

From Stonebridge car park to Pyes Hall from 12.30 to 15.30 to look for Bluethroat found by Graham Catley earlier in the morning.

Brambling 20
Ring Ouzel 3
Firecrest 1
Black Redstart 1
Great Grey Shrike 3 different birds including 2 in same field of view at once.
Bluethroat, in the corner of the saltmarsh adjacent to the west side of the outfall at Pyes. First winter bird which obligingly sat out on the hawthorn giving crippling views. Barry Clarkson got some fantastic photos revealing bird was apparently a first winter.
Short eared Owl 1 flushed off the back of the dunes.
HenHarrier, 1 ringtail feeding over the managed retreat area.

Still plenty of Robins and Chiffchaffs but not dripping like Saturday and far fewer Goldcrests and Redwings.

Incidentally the retreat area looks fantastic with extensive wet patches and pools following heavy rain over the weekend. Over 500 Teal and lots of waders feeding out there.

Also all the talk about lack of birds on Lincs coast and the quality of the habitat now looks a bit silly after one of the best weekends for migrants I can remember for many years. Bird populations change and so does the weather. Make the most of when the conditions are good!

Similarly at the south end, there were fewer migrants today. A Pallas's Warbler was the best find, trapped at 0915, and retrapped at 1225 in the willow hedge in the sheep enclosure. A Great Grey Shrike was showing well near the coastguard cottages and a Hawfinch was seen briefly near the Quad 3 building before it departed south along the dunes. Thrush and Robin numbers were reduced, although there were still 6 Ring Ouzels present, while only 2 Bramblings seen with 2 Mealy Redpolls and 3 Siskins. 40 Blackcaps and 100 Chiffchaffs, and also a single Willow Warbler noted. Other birds of interest were a Woodcock, a Merlin and 2 Grey Wagtails.

Have just received news of a Treecreeper trapped at Quad 3 and showing characteristics of the northern race C. f. familiaris. One of the Grey Wagtails was also trapped.

Additions later this afternoon between Pye's Hall and the Ponderosa, included another Pallas's Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher and totals of 8 Ring Ouzels, 5 Great Grey Shrikes, 3 Firecrests and 12 Mealy Redpolls.

As Phil says - the bluethroat gave wonderful views. Thanks to Graham Catley and Russ Telfer for pointing me in the right direction and then Andy Sims for showing me the bird
Among the chiffchaff and willow warblers I also noted several blackcap and a garden warbler
One siskin in a muddy section of the flood scheme and fifteen pink-footed geese over
There may not have been as many robins and goldcrest as a couple of days ago but they still seemed to be everywhere
The black redstart was on the railings just a couple of hundred yards before the sluice

had a northern form of great spotted woodpecker near horseshoe point 17.50 hrs tonight

terry whalin

Don't doubt your right about populations & weather Phil but having visited Donna Nook area 3 times last week. It was very noticeable on each occasion, there were more birders present than I've ever seen here before.

_________________
Regards.
Del.

To err is human. To really louse things up takes a computer

Also Short eared Owl at Pyes, male Hen Harrier and a very active Merlin, iw Little Gull hawking over saltmarsh plus a Siberian Chiffchaff on the way down. Sounds like more birds arrived in the afternoon as there was no sign of any Black Redstart in the morning but a female Common Redstart was around the car park.

As noted it seems to just show what a better level of coverage can produce when there are birds around.

Forgot to mention a juv Gannet flying over the roat at Great Limber before sunrise

Graham, it's the age old question which came first the birders or the birds?

Phil its the well known Patagonia picnic table effect; after a famous spot in Arizona - a rare bird is found at a location, many birders go to see the bird and find other birds which bring more birders and more sightings from a wider area and the pyramidal increase continues