The Lincolnshire Bird Club

An unexpected but perhaps not surprising first record for Whisby NR this evening came in the form of a singing Cetti’s Warbler from an overgrown ditch. As Cetti’s are still RBBP I’ll not say exactly where it was; those that want to know will ask. Alternatively those who use their ears…….

Also tonight 1 Arctic Tern and 1 Common Tern on Apex Pit.

New birds over the last few days have included 2 Common Tern and Garden Warbler both on 20th and a Red Kite over (photographed) on the 21st.

Cheers

Grahame

I have taken to quick half hour visits at lunchtime when I am in my office at Witham St Hughs.

Monday - great to hear and see Nightingales. A pair together.
Today; 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, lots of warblers, 8 Sand Martins and 2 Common Buzzards.

Ian

cracking views early evening of nightingale, where was you graham, called to see you mate, guess you were missing in action

take care mate terry whalin

The Cetti's showed for brief seconds today in between disappearing for long periods, managed one unobstructed shot in album.

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Stunning views of the Nightingales etc today,the only bird different from recent sightings was a Hobby over Grebe lake.

Regards Steve,with Chris Atkin and Dave Wright.

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Hi,
I wonder why Nightingale never reaches MSQ now?is it simply beacause Whisby is the uppermost northern limit of this bird?
Rog.

Because the habitat requirements are not right and the gene pool shrank,an isolated population can only survive for so long as has been found at Thorne Moors.The species is on its northern limit in the UK in Lincolnshire and always has had its stronghold in the south,were there are obviously a lot more birds.


Steve.

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I don't agree. when I moved to Lincolnshire in 1986 all the woods were full of Nightingales. I recorded 14 pairs in Temple Wood alone but they were also common In Callan's Lane Wood, Bourne Wood and all the smaller woodlands. Last year I participated in the BTO's Nightingale survey and we only found a few pairs in relatively new and unmanaged private primary woodland with thick understory. Yet Whisby which is 30 miles north has many pairs.

I am convinced the culprits are deer. I counted 120 Fallow deer grazing in fields adjacent to Temple Wood on Saturday and these animals open out the woodland and reduce the under-storey. Great for flowering plants but not for Nightingales.

Ian

I don't agree. when I moved to Lincolnshire in 1986 all the woods were full of Nightingales. I recorded 14 pairs in Temple Wood alone but they were also common In Callan's Lane Wood, Bourne Wood and all the smaller woodlands. Last year I participated in the BTO's Nightingale survey and we only found a few pairs in relatively new and unmanaged private primary woodland with thick understory. Yet Whisby which is 30 miles north has many pairs.

I am convinced the culprits are deer. I counted 120 Fallow deer grazing in fields adjacent to Temple Wood on Saturday and these animals open out the woodland and reduce the under-storey. Great for flowering plants but not for Nightingales.

Ian

That was one of the points i was making Ian,perhaps i should have explained things better.There are very few,if any areas Nightingales could breed in at Messingham on a reserve that isn't really managed for birds.Agreed about the deer,iam guessing that is also one of the factors that has helped in the decline of the birds at Chambers and Thorne.


Steve.

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Hi Stephen,

Yes, I am sure you are right. I was only trying to say that my area (SW Lincs) is probably 60 or so miles south of the northerly range but the habitat is not there. Unfortunately even within nature conservation circles there are conflicts as the botanists prefer the open type woodland which allows light in for the flowers. We need bigger nature reserves with room for big chunks of different habitats to suit everything!

Best regards,

Ian

Hi Ian,

It was a pleasure meeting you on Saturday and fantastic to get such good views of the ravens. Just to add to your observations about the deer, I had an hour or so stroll around Callan's Lane Wood after we went our separate ways and there were comfortably double figures of fallow deer in the wood itself, as well.

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Patch YTD: 155

Hi Steve,
Yes seems youve hit on some good factors there,it did breed at msq a few years ago,im pretty sure,if my memory serves me well,one is in the report singing monday night at 8.30pm(cj)chris jarvis i believe,no one else has heard it thou,
regards,
rog.

Also I forgot to mention,Twigmoor woods had Nightingales,round the gull ponds,I remember hearing them there with Dave Johnson many years ago,,
Rog.