The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Todays Highlights:

Spoonbill 1 (Present all week from Tennysons)
Pintail 2
Barnacle Goose 1
Canada Goose 96
Greylag Goose 63
Pink-footed Goose 14
Brent Goose 109
Avocet 1 (Jacksons)
Water Rail 1
Treecreeper 1
Teal 247

Very Quiet over the sea only birds of note are:
Great Skua 1
Goosander 1 (S)

Nice to see big numbers of Golden Plover (1000+) and Lapwing (336) feeding on Croft Marsh

Cheer,

Richard

Interesting to hear about the remaining Spoonbill, and good to see Paul Neale's pictures of it in the album (Spoonbill now a 'common bird' - a sign of the times!). This appears to be the latest recent record for Lincolnshire (unless anyone can tell me differently).

The previous latest was one at Rimac on 18th November 2008 - but a good deal before then there was one wintering at Gibraltar Point in 1984/85, and even longer ago a remarkable record of a flock of five at North Cotes in January 1945 (anyone remember this?).

They have tended not to reappear until April at the earliest. Apart from two at Moulton Marsh on 6th February 1993 and one at Gibraltar Point on 4th March this year, I've not traced any earlier than 3rd April.

Any corrections to the above facts gratefully received - there's a note for the bird report in preparation. I'd also be interested to know whether all the recent reports from Gib relate to the same bird (i.e. records on various dates from 27th October). And what about the one at Frampton on 13/11; was that the same as Gib Pt on 14/11?

Andrew

Not sure if it was the same as the Gib bird but I had a Spoonbill at Kirton Marsh on 10/2/85. It was a 1stW bird and it carried colour rings on each leg plus a standard metal ring. Did the Gib bird have any rings ?

Phil

Thanks, Phil. I don't know the answer to your question but suspect the answer is No. Lorand & Atkin do not mention any rings on the Gib bird; and unfortunately my run of LBRs does not go back to 84/85. I will ask around though, but if anyone cares to answer on here it would help.

Do you have any information on the origin of your bird? Was it submitted to LBC?

Thanks again for the extra record.

Andrew

The spoonbill was again present this morning, as it flew over the Wash Viewpoint at 08:00am heading towards wainfleet.

Richard

Andrew,

If it helps, my copy of the Lincolnshire Bird Report 1985 states :

" Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
A colour-ringed first-winter bird was seen at Huttoft Pit on February 3rd (BMC,MJT) and again at Kirton Marsh on the 10th (PHy). Previously, a first-winter was seen at Gibraltar Point on January 1st (NL, RSPB) and Wainfleet Marsh on January 20th (GPC), but the observers did not report any rings on this bird. "

Freddy
PS. The 1984 report on Spoonbill finishes thus :

" A first-winter bird was in the Gibraltar Point - Wainfleet area from October 18th into 1985 (MMo, DJA, TCh et al). "

Excellent - thanks very much. Don't suppose there was any mention of the origin of the bird in the ringing report, was there? Also, to determine whether there were in fact 2 that winter, we now need to find out whether any of the observers of the 1stW or 1stWs from Oct 1984 to Jan 1985 (a) saw any rings, (b) saw that definitely there were no rings or (c) can't say whether or not there were any rings. The initials NL and GPC from the 1985 records look familiar...

Andrew

Andrew,
No, there was no mention of the origin of the bird in the relevant ringing report.

Freddy