After enjoying the obligatory cuppa and sausage sarnie on arrival from the excellent wild bird cafe,we began to explore the reserve.
We started proceedings by walking along Dryham Lane looking on both Dryham Ings and on the Main Lake.These two areas provided some great sightings and included amongst the usual suspects of Teal,Gadwall,Shoveler,Wigeon and hundreds of Black-headed Gulls,a single,distant 2nd summer Med Gull on the Main Lake and the resident Ruff showing fairly well on Dryham Ings.
While scanning through the masses of birds on Dryham Ings i picked up our first goodie of the day,a Little-ringed Plover.
It was watched as it moved about from island to island in typical hyper active LRP style when they first arrive,just like clock work toys.This was our first record for the year of this cracking little migrant plover and the first record of the year for the reserve.
After looking from the impressive Crosslands hide a distinctive call from our right,saw us enjoying our second Med Gull of the day as a superb adult gave us a flypast.
We walked along the side of the Carp Lake and encountered a couple of Chiffchaff,which included nice views of one bird and as we reached the northern edge of the reserve,i was alerted to the distinct sound of Redpolls.The culprits were quickly found,but not the expected Lesser's,instead,2 frosty looking Mealies.They were difficult to get a sharp photo of due to branches in the hedgerow being infront of them,but a couple of record shots showed what the birds were and i was happy with the ID.They flew a little further along the hedgerow and they showed white rump patches in flight also.
After the Redpolls,good birds just kept on coming,with superb views of our 'First' Sand martins of the year with 6 birds hawking insects over the adjacent Alder scrub and Reedbed Lake.These are just cracking little birds and i love watching them as they energetically hawk for insects.
The adjacent fields to reedbed lake held a large flock of Black-headed Gulls following a farmer ploughing the large field and a few pairs of Lapwings displayed and sparred for the best nesting spots.
We eventually made our journey around the reserve back to the superb Wild Bird Cafe for another cuppa and while supping our tea a 2nd calendar year Peregrine put on a fine show scattering the assembled flock of Avocets in all directions,what a show of aerial prowess from this cracking bird.
We then visited the hide overlooking the Main Lake and had a prolonged watch from here adding even more brilliant sightings to our already impressive list of species.This included 2 more Med Gulls,another adult and a 1st winter/summer bird in amongst the prospecting numbers of their Black-headed cousins and along the adjacent hillside 3 Red Kite and 3 Common Buzzards showed fairly well,the Kites steadily drifting over the reserve itself,with one actually landing in the field the farmer had been ploughing earlier,no doubt to feed on worms or insects the plough had disturbed.
After enjoying the Kites Mike had to head home,but i stayed for a little longer,but didn't add anything else to what was already a very good day out.
So what a cracking day out was enjoyed today and i travelled back home to north linc's contented at a brilliant day in the field.
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| Drake Mallard,Main Lake. |
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| Ruff,Dryham Ings. |
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| Distant shot of the Little-ringed Plover on Dryham Ings. |
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| Adult Mediterranean Gull near Crosslands Hide. |
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| Adult Mediterranean Gull near Crosslands Hide. |
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| Mealie Redpoll,near Far lake. |
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| Mealie Redpoll,near Far Lake. |
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| Feeding Black-headed Gulls following the plough on the northern border of the reserve. |
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| Greylag Geese over Reedbed Lake. |
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| Adult Black-headed Gull over Reedbed Lake. |
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| Lapwing on the field,on the northern border of the reserve. |
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