I started by looking at one of the local sites for Woodlark and hit the jackpot with a single singing male,i just love that melancholy song as they display over their breeding sites.Other sightings here included 3 Siskin and a Jay.
On to site number two and i always try to visit Manton Warren in spring and like to walk down to the sheep fields at the back of Messingham Nature Reserve as part of my walk.
So after getting the walking boots on i was off.
The mild weather was obviously having an effect on the locals,with singing male Yellowhammer's,Reed Bunting and Linnets as i neared the ruins of the old farmhouse.
Further on and as i walked along a stubble field towards the sheep fields a flurry of activity saw some nice sightings close together and included unbelievably another Woodlark and a pair of Stonechat.
The Woodlark was watched at close range and gave some cracking views through the scope and i even managed some record shots with the camera,the Stonies performed pretty well also,particularly the male and i managed some half decent shots of him,but his partner had other ideas being typically flighty.
On arrival at the sheep fields there was a hive of activity as always in spring,with displaying Lapwings and even more Black-headed Gulls than on my last visit to MSQ.
An interesting sighting,saw a leucistic Starling being seen in amongst the local flock feeding in the fields and it reminded me of a similar bird i had seen here many years ago in the early 2000's,surely it can't be the same bird,but you never know.It had a normal plumaged head and most of it's body,but creamy-white wings and part of it's tail.
A diversion away from the birds saw several Common Toads spawning in an adjacent drainage dyke and also a hand full of Whirlgig Beetles,both welcome sightings and harbingers of the forthcoming spring.
The return leg back to the car saw 4 Common Buzzard over the nearby woodland and 2 Redwing,one of which was singing.
After reaching the car,i drove the short journey over to Messingham Sand Quarries to see what i could find at this superb little reserve.
A half hearted look for Otters on Grebe Lake saw plenty of the locals pairing up and displaying and this included a flock of 18 Tufted Duck with a couple of Water Rail calling nearby.
The small woodland pond held at least 1 male Smooth Newt and as i neared the Wader Hide,the familiar sound of croaking male Frog's was another great sound to hear.
On the Main Lake,100 Wigeon,2 Kingfisher and a pair of Goldeneye were all added in the notebook,then two species of Warbler in quick succession,one of the Cetti's from my last visit and my first migrant species at last,a Chiffchaff.
I never did see the Cetti's,but got some half decent views of the Chiffie,but unfortunately no pics.The latter was a species that i thought would be on the cards for today's visit,as there had been a substantial arrival around the country.
A few more non bird sightings to add to the notebook included a couple of Buff-tailed Bumble Bee's and the Marsh Marigolds were beginning to flower now,with those lovely,intense,golden flowers.
So today was a pretty good day out considering the overcast conditions and it was great to see some more spring sightings,particularly the Woodlark.
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| Woodlark,Between Manton Warren And Messingham sand quarries LWTR. |
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| Male Stonechat,Manton Warren. |
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| Female Stonechat,Manton Warren. |
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| Male Smooth Newt,Messingham Sand Quarries LWTR. |
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| Muntjac Prints,Messingham Sand Quarries LWTR. |
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| Marsh Marigolds,Messingham Sand Quarries LWTR. |
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