A much favoured county of mine, especially as my late father’s family was born there and I spent a great deal of my childhood at the family home in Wainfleet. So, Saturday 4th February was spent around the Donna Nook area, after a brief visit to Rufford Park in Nottinghamshire, for Hawfinch. We were not disappointed as on our arrival into the car park, 6 birds were perched in the top most branches of some impressive Beech Trees. We made our way to Saltfleetby St.Clements from Rufford Park and shortly after our arrival, we discovered a small flock of 9 Tundra Bean Geese feeding in a small grassy field. After watching them for some 20 minutes or so, they took flight and moved into other distant fields and despite trying, we couldn’t relocate them. We then made our way to Donna Nook, in the hope of finding Shore Lark and after some intricate directions, off one of Glynn’s contacts and a mile or so walk out to the salt marsh, we eventually found a flock of 22 Shore Lark, 29 Lapland Bunting and 15 Twite. Walking back to the car we found 7 Whooper Swan and out on the reserve there were vast numbers of Brent Geese coming into roost, along with Golden Plover and Lapwing.
Not a brilliant day with the camera but a superb winters day, birding this lovely area of Lincolnshire with Glynn and Richard, great company and my year list has moved on to 131.
Brent Geese – above 2 images – coming into roost against a stunning winter’s sunset – Donna Nook, Lincolnshire – Tony Davison©
“Tundra” Bean Geese – above 2 images – part of a flock of 9 birds – Saltfleetby St. Clements, Lincolnshire – Tony Davison©
Lapland Bunting – Donna Nook, Lincolnshire – Tony Davison©
Shore Lark – above 2 images – Record shots – Donna Nook, Lincolnshire – Tony Davison©
