The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Arguably one of my best ever days on the 'local patch'.

Little Bunting - 1 - found by Kev. It only stayed until about 09:00 before flying off with 3 Redpolls
Yellow - browed Wbl - the same bird as yesterday showing only 1 wing bar and looking a bit Hume'ish but not calling so remains unconfirmed as Humes.
Pallas Wbl - 2 unringed individuals showing well especially the bird at north Building which was ridiculously confiding and which was still present at dusk.
Waxwings - several about early on flying around calling
Black Redstart - a male on the field Station to dusk.
Lapland Bunting - 1
Crossbills - 2 groups over and a imm male and ad female feeding on cones in N Carpark at dusk
Brambling - birds passing over for most of the day
Lesser Whitethroat - 3 or4 obviously not European birds but not distinctive enough to attribute them racially
Woodcock - 6
Marsh Harrier - 3 went to roost on salt marsh from Wash Viewpoint
Whooper Swan - 1

plus plenty of Siskins,Redpolls,Redwings,Fieldfares,Blackbirds etc

A memorable day
Velvet Scoter -1
Long-tailed Duck - 2
RT Diver - 5

AARG AGAIN!!!!

I'd have got 12 lifers from that list!!!!!!

** Round 2 of plea bargaining on its way, Dad! **

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A few more reports etc to add to Ed's list.

Lesser whitethroat 5 in total (2 ringed - one prob halimondendri).
ring ouzel
firecrest
willow warbler
chiff 4
blackcap 5
hen harrier
short eared owl

a large arrival of blackbirds, c 450 on west side of reserve alone, small numbers moving off before dusk this eve.

The dull yellow-browed was last seen with a load of goldcrests in the west dune sycamores opposite Sykes Farm entrance - if anyone wants to check it out.....you may have to wait a long time for it to call !

Cheers

Kev

Forgot to add Richard's pipit west over this morning (per David Wright).

Today made for all those days when I said Gib was quiet and to think that last night I was toying with the idea of going Alkborough or Nocton, then I saw Kevs final report of yesterday. Mind was made up - the only difficulty was which areas to invetigate

Some of the highlights for me: mundane perhaps to Gib regulars like Kev and Ed

few fieldfare (early)
redwing lots
mistle thrush
goldcrest many
little egret
black tailed godwit
whooper just the one over Jacksons going south
lesser whitethroat
brambling (thanks Kev)
firecrest (thanks Kev)
sparrowhawk
woodcock 1
goldeneye 4 females on the sea
unidentified grebe (red necked?)
red throated diver 2
stonechat 1
great spotted woodpecker
blackcap (male)
pink footed goose
brent goose
black redstart (only my second - first was at Gib also)
and the yellow browed warbler
chiffchaff
lots of starling in off the sea

missed both pallas warbler, velvet scoter but all in all it was magic - can I justify another trip tomorrow to Gib tomorrow I wonder?

The weather forecast untill at least next wednesday says gentle east winds low pressure south east of us and high pressure over north europe, all excellent indicators for a good migration movement.
The day at gib could well be repeated anywhere along the east coast from scotland to suffolk.

Terry Whalin

Paraphrasing Harold Wilson "18 hours is a long time in birding"

I couldn't really justify going to Gib on consecutive days but went anyway. It was an awful day with showers and dark low clouds and with the wind howling off the sea it made everything extremely difficult to observe. There were some highlights but where the reserve was alive with birds yesterday today they tended to keep their heads down

Black Redstart still on the water Tower but kept going over to the Haven
4 Crossbills in the North Car Park 14:00 and 1 at 10:00
Pallas's Warbler was seen at the North Building about 12:00 but not again (and not by me again) as far as I know
Plenty of Blackbirds and Redwing
Woodcock 1
Starling some major flocks in excess of 1000
Common Scoter about 30 in 2 flocks - only stopped on beach 20 minutes
Stonechat 2
Goldcrest plenty of these but difficult to spot anything else with them