The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Two 2nd cy Spoonbills passed north over Quad 3 at 1105, gradually gaining height as they wheeled out over the mudflats and towards the Humber mouth. These were presumably the same birds seen at Sammy's Point at Spurn at 1140 and then back at Donna Nook passing south over the Stonebridge car-park at 1240. Other highlights at the south end were 8 Yellow Wagtails, one Swift, one Cuckoo, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, one Common Redstart and one Greenshank. A Firecrest seen by MJ was present at the RAF base.

The 2 spoonbills were feeding in pools at Saltfleet at 10.30am, flying north a little later and back again last time I looked at 1300hrs. Clearly the feeding at the Saltfleet pools was preferable to the North Bank.

It always pays to double check medium sized little egret like birds! I walked over the bank close to Saltfleet, where I would normally scan the area before carrying on. However, a couple with dogs were close behind, so I visually clocked a couple of (little egrets) at a pool about half a mile away and carried on across the marsh without stopping. Only a little while later, when the 2 (egrets) rose up, flying north towards me, did I realise they were spoonbills, but still didn't bother with binoculars, because the views were excellent as they came quite low overhead, to be seen by Steve shortly afterwards. When I got back to the sea bank at around 1300hrs and scanned back, there were 2 genuine little egrets feeding at the pool, along with the 2 spoonbills, also avidly skimming the water.

A similar thing happened a couple of weeks ago at home, when a 'little egret' was flying north low along the outer dunes at Theddlethorpe towards me. What interested me then was that in the early morning, little egrets here fly south just inland from the dunes, as they head for the drains to feed. I didn't bother with binoculars until the bird was much closer and I could see a yellow bill, when I very quickly used the binoculars to ensure no yellow feet. My first cattle egret next to home.

Cliff