The Lincolnshire Bird Club

TIME: 15:45 - 18:05

Plenty seen today. A possible lifer for me, lots of movement, an unidentified mammal and a bunch of idiots paying no respect to wildlife.

POSSIBLE LIFER - Tree Pipit near the realignment. Simon R, Paul French think it's slightly too early though.

UNEXPECTED SIGHTING - Buzzard on thermals near to MFI and McDonald's on the way.

OTHER SPECIES SEEN:

Great Crested Grebe - 4 on Hobhole Drain near road bridge

Greylag Goose - 1
Canada Goose - 30
Brent Goose - thousands. At least 3 pale-bellied reported.

Mallard - usual group near car park
Teal - 1 near realignment
Shelduck - 20
Coot - 4 on the way

Herring Gull - 15
Black-headed Gull - usual 200 or so. A few on nests.

Avocet - 25
Curlew - 1
Redshank - 30
Ringed Plover - 3
Oystercatcher - flock of 300 or so just before I left

Blue Tit - 2
Blackbird - 10
Song Thrush - 2 on the way
Starling - lots in various places
Chaffinch - 6
Goldfinch - 6
Greenfinch - 12
Pied Wagtail - 2
Wren - 1
Robin - 1

Wood Pigeons - usual in various places
Collared Dove - usual in various places
Magpie - 5
Carrion Crow - 2 on reserve
Pheasant - many in fields

No Swallows or Martins

Unidentified mammal - small chestnut-coloured fur, quick mover roaming around daffodils close to hide. A stoat, perhaps?

Feral Idiot Teenagers - 12. Rolling down flood banks, swearing and smoking. Several of which seemed to think there was nothing wrong with climbing over the wired fences and sitting on the banks of the lagoon. Totally unacceptable behaviour. One of the reserve wardens went to have a word with them (I think it was John Badley, but I'm not sure).

Nice to meet Simon Rummery and Paul French too. Hi guys!

Perhaps it's just a coincidence, but a Tree Pipit was reported today in Lancashire on Birdguides!

There were 2 Pale-bellied Brents on the lagoon, and also a nice male Wheatear on the wet grassland.

I guess the small reddish mammal would have been either a stoat or a weasel. Both of them occur, although weasels (in my limited experience) seem to be more tolerent of people, and you can sometimes get within a few feet of them. I once had a weasel run inbetween by legs in Staffs!