Frampton RSPB...Sunday 06.07.2014.

Today saw me heading into deepest,darkest Lincolnshire to the superb Frampton Marsh reserve situated on the wader mecca that is the Wash,mainly to visit somewhere different for a change and in the hope of a few sneaky photos.Unfortunately in the photo stakes,the weather wasn't great,but i enjoyed some cracking birds.Bird of the day went to a showy male Turtle Dove singing near the reserve car park,a lovely sight to see and one which i haven't had the privilege of seeing locally now for two years.I really hope the fortunes of this lovely migrant Dove are turned round.Another male was seen and heard later in the day on the edge of the wet grassland.Also on the wet grassland area was the other star bird enjoying it's holidays here,a Glossy Ibis.The bird was watched at long range feeding and loafing with a Little Egret adjacent to a small pool,this being my fourth sighting of this 'Black Curlew',with birds being seen at Fairburn Ings RSPB,Donna Nook and Radipole Lake.Other wading bird highlights included 6 partially summer plumaged male Ruff,6 Greenshank,2 Whimbrel and 2 Green and 1 Common Sandpiper.It was also really nice to see some young Redshank and Avocet's,particularly the Shanks.An interesting sighting to divert me away from the usual species was an escaped female Maned Duck,not the prettiest of birds i know and originating as a wild bird in Australasia,but was something a little different.No unusual Gulls or Terns were encountered unfortunately,apart from the resident Black-headed Gulls and Common Terns,apart but a passing Sandwich Tern did pause for a rest on the scrapes.

Adult Avocet.

Juvenile Avocet.

Juvenile Black-headed Gulls.

Record shot of one of the male Turtle Doves.

Sedge Warbler,trying to hide.

Escaped,female Maned Duck.

Passerine wise the best bird was a singing male Corn Bunting watched displaying and singing his jangly song in the wet grassland and several singing male Sedge Warbler tantalised me trying to get some pics.Insect wise butterflies provided the bulk of sightings with Small Skipper,Meadow Brown,Ringlet,Small Tort and Red Admiral being recorded,but very few dragonflies,only a single Ruddy Darter.So after spending my time at this excellent reserve i made my way back north through rural Lincolnshire after enjoying another good day out.