The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Malcolm Hill reports an Osprey near the Canal in Horncastle on 9th December.

This must be the latest record for an Osprey in Lincolnshire.

Almost certainly a Common Buzzard (personal opinion) with the bright light reflecting up from the snow cover fooling people into thinking that these birds are Ospreys as they look strikingly white on the underwings and breast areas -- the amazing contrast is something that we in the UK are not used to but as in desert conditions reflected light totally changes the appearance of birds (see the L Jonsson intro and also that of the Collin's Guide) -- Winter records of Ospreys in the UK are incredibly rare and then typically in the hotter south coast estuaries; it is surely no coincidence that the sudden plethora of December reports in Lincs has been during a period when the ground is totally snow covered.

I think this one would be the latest. What have the conditions been like at places like Kirkby & Whisby over the past two weeks? All the freshwater bodies at Frampton/Freiston have been completely frozen so the only fishing for ospreys here would have been out on The Wash.

Four waxwings at Frampton again today in trees/bushes along the row of houses before the entrance.

John

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Contact: recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

John

All waterbodies at Whisby NP and N Hykeham Pits have been completely frozen over for the best part of 2 weeks now. No place for an Osprey....

Cheers

Grahame