Saturday 27th August and Glyn, Richard and myself visited two of my favourite Lincolnshire Reserves, Gibralter Point and RSPB Frampton Marsh. Gibralter Point was very much a visit of nostalgia, as I first went bird watching here some 40 years ago, when I saw my first Snow Bunting. The reserve is very different today, with new lagoons and hides and of course a new visitors centre. We had decide to venture over to Lincolnshire in the hope of maybe finding a good bird and photographing some of the hundreds of Curlew Sandpiper that had been frequenting Frampton Marsh. Well we managed both, as entering Gibralter Point’s North Hide at Tennyson Marsh we discovered what at first glance appeared to be an immature Yellow-legged Gull. After much deliberation over the bird we began to realise that this was in fact a Caspian Gull.. It was not an easy bird to identify at first, as it spent most of its time lying flat on the shingle almost appearing as if it was moribund. Once it began to move around, bath and swim, there was no doubt about it, it was an immature Caspian Gull. There were 9 Spoonbill on view whilst we were there and a sprinkling of waders, including Spotted Redshank.
At Frampton and despite some horrendous thunderstorms, I managed to get a few decent pictures of Curlew Sandpiper. There were at least a hundred on the reserve and the species must have had a successful breeding season on the Siberian tundra, as they were all juveniles, as were the 6 Little Stint that we saw. The thunderstorm lasted several hours and we were treated to some spectacular lightning and strange cloud formations.
Caspian Gull – Immature – Gibralter Point, Lincolnshire – Above six images show all the main identification criteria – Pale underwings; narrow black parallel bill slightly drooping (Although this birds bill does appear shorter and broader than normal); white head, dark beady eye; shawl effect around nape; broad white markings on tertials; typical angular stance with long primaries extending well beyond the tail. Tony Davison©
Curlew Sandpiper – above 8 images – Juveniles from the 100 or so at Frampton Marsh – Tony Davison© – nearly all of these shots were taken during a torrential thunderstorm.
Dunlin – Frampton Marsh – Tony Davison©
Little Egret – Gibralter Point – Tony Davison©
Mediterranean Gull – adult winter – Gibralter Point – Tony Davison©
Redshank – Gibralter Point – Tony Davison© This bird reminds me so much of Gibralter Point.
Spoonbill – immature – Above two images – note blackish bill lacking yellow tip and black tips to primaries – Tony Davison©
Spoonbill – Gibralter Point – Above two images – note the adults showing off the yellow tip to the bill – part of the flock of 9 in total.
Spoonbill – Gibralter Point – This juvenile was consistently harassing it’s parent for food. Tony Davison©
Spotted Redshank – adult winter – Gibralter Point – Tony Davison©
Swallow – above 3 images – Juveniles – Ready for their first long flight to South Africa. What a journey lies ahead for them – Tony Davison©
Swallow – adult – Gibralter Point – This bird has successfully completed the trip to South Africa and back at least once. An amazing feat of endurance and navigation. Tony Davison©
Small Tortoiseshell – above 2 images – Gibralter Point – Tony Davison© – A miracle of nature.
