The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Nice visit this afternoon spoilt in part by constant shotgun fire.
Highlights were:

Buzzard
Sparrow Hawk
2 Treecreepers
4 Nuthatch
Shabby looking Female GS Woodpecker
At least 5 Spotted Flycatchers
and the usual suspects

Cheers - Steve

Steve.

What were the shotgun's, blasting at!!??, do you know .

Interasting to find out!

Cheer's
Brian.

Hi Brian
I know what you mean I was more than concerned, I didn't see any shooters, the sound was from the same area throughout my visit.
I did see the Buzzard flying over woods from the direction of the noise and it didn't seem bothered and all its feathers intact.
By the end of the visit I could only assume it was a clay shoot?!!

Cheers - Steve

the shooting is from a clay pigeon range to the north-east of Owlet -- it has been there for several years but seems to be getting more frequent use in recent years; perhaps more frustrated people wanting a loud outlet for their pent up aggressions

Further to Steve Watson's post, I spent nearly 4 hours at Owlet Plantation today (Thu) 09.05 - 12.55pm. In the first 3 hours I walked around the Plantation twice....and saw few birds apart from Woodpigeons, Carrion Crows and Chaffinches (plus lots of Butterflies). It was only when I was returning to the Car Park towards midday that I 'bumped' my first (adult) Sp Fly - about 100 yards away from the Car Park in the upper branches of a Silver Birch. I was only able to watch it for 3 or 4 minutes before it disappeared into the deep wood behind.

I needn't have been too disappointed, however, for returning to the Car Park, what should be performing there but a second adult Sp Fly ....and, to my delight, it stayed around the Car Park for the best part of an hour and was still there when I left at nearly 1.00pm. How often do we visit a reserve and see little, only to find a 'good' bird around the car park ?

I tried hard to turn the one Car Park Sp Fly into two birds for there was plenty of bird activity in the nearby branches and trees but when any bird showed itself it turned out to be one of the following :

Treecreeper
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Wren
Goldfinch

but no 2nd Sp Fly. Anyway, I'd had some special pleasure watching the one Car Park bird.....so no complaints ; .....and seeing 2 Sp Flys in all was most welcome after some recent dips - Canwick, Nocton and Ruckland ( Sp Fly and WTE - 26th July ).

Freddy