Bird Club car trip to Frampton 24th Jan

The following is an account by Robin Gossage on a successful Northants Bird Club car trip to Frampton in Lincolnshire:-

Getting settled in the back of Bob Gill's car, we (Bob, Mark, Wend and myself), set off for Frampton, a different venue and breaking tradition for the car trip at this time of year.

Typically we arrived almost before we’d set off in Bob's time machine and at 8 o’clock we pulled into the car park and by way of a greeting a BARN OWL sauntered around it, a great start but the light was poor as it remained so all day and so no pix were had. Just as we were about to leave the car park we were joined by our intrepid companion Richard Barford, who had travelled up on his own.

As we strolled across to the centre, a few passerines were on show, namely TREE SPARROW, GREENFINCH, REED BUNTING and the like. Moving on, a CETTI’S WARBLER provided some excitement for the locals! Then it was our turn to become excited with the appearance of a PEREGRINE FALCON  on the deck, one of two or three seen during the day. A Hobby-like raptor came into view - a female MERLIN - and we watching her scythe through and over the reed beds and scrape. Brilliant and then she perched on a fence post………………right back next to the visitors centre. As we rushed back for hopeful shots, off she went again, this time landing on a post on the next planet, as my highly enlarged shot testifies.

Speaking to a local if you arrive just before light you may well see a party of WHOOPERS departing from their roosting site.

Reaching the barrage and looking over the marsh several distant MARSH HARRIERS vied for viewing. Walking a little further and a female SPARROWHAWK shot over the top and followed the fencing, always at low level but eventually also perching on a remote fence post somewhere in Outer Mongolia.

We made our way slowly back visiting one hide on the way, seeing most of the usual suspects including BLACK TAILED GODWITS. Having tuckered up, we stretched our legs to two hides in the middle of the reserve.Here we found a small number of PINTAIL - a smashing duck in the male form. Also a very distant drake SCAUP. 

Making our way back to the barrage again, Bob picked up a beautiful male HEN HARRIER, flying very near a MARSH HARRIER, the difference in size and structure was most apparent.

Back to reception for a nice hot cuppa when suddenly the earlier BARN OWL came into view, again the light was very poor at that time of day for pix and as everyone knows I never take a pic in poor light?

We were home by 5.30pm.  My thanks to Bob Gill for his excellent driving services and for his and Mark's good company. Also a special mention to intrepid Richard for coming on his own and his good company.

THANKS 

Robin.

Goldfinch

Greenfinches

Tree Sparrows

Female Merlin

Yellowhammer

Drake Pintail

Drake Scaup