After a healthy McDonald's breakfast we set off for RSPB Frampton Marsh, one of my personal favourite reserves, arriving in beautiful autumnal sunshine.
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| Water Vole - Once again Dee's patience paid off! |
From the car park plenty of
Meadow Pipits,
Skylarks and
Linnets across the wet meadow, not so wet currently though. In fact I was pretty disappointed all around with just how little water there was within the freshwater scraps! We made our way along the road towards the sea-bank, occasionally hearing the plop of the odd
Water Vole from the roadside ditches. This is of course a red rag to a bull for Dee, who patiently waited around after we'd had some brief views for a chance to snap one.
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| Glossy Ibis - Another one of Dee's images! |
When I reached the bank a group of birders were hanging around above and at the base of the steps complaining that the
Glossy Ibis was nowhere to be found. That is of course until Dee caught up and found the bird sleeping in the long grass not 30 yards in front of them, what a girl!! It wasn't long before the bird was up and about, much to the delight of others.
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| Clouded Yellow record shot - Daria Yates |
Along the sea-bank
Marsh Harrier,
Peregrine, and numerous
Little Egret across the salt-marsh, plus a distant view of a
Spoonbill as it drifted left to right before disappearing. Several
Red Admiral butterfly on the wing this morning and a single
Clouded Yellow, which naturally Dee chased down. Viewing back across the reserve at least 1000
Brent Geese often airborne, along with our first
Pink-footed Geese of the autumn, hundreds of
Wigeon and a brace of
Wheatear were also noted.
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| One of a brace of Wheatear seen at Frampton today! |
A stop at the East Hide to check out the waders but with little water not as numerous as usual.
Dunlin,
Black-tailed Godwit,
Avocet,
Redshank and
Ringed Plover all noted. In the distance a couple of
Buzzard and
Kestrel and waterfowl included
Shelduck,
Teal and
Gadwall.
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| Pintail |
Visits to the Reedbed and 360 hide proved to be hard work with little water from the 360 but we managed further additions to the day list with a half dozen
Pintail, plus
Shoveler,
Little Grebe,
Curlew,
Snipe and the only
Curlew Sandpiper of the day.
