The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Nice euphemism, Kathryn!

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Alastair Carr

Where there is a will, there is a way....

It was a pleasure Katherine
It was the star of the show today and possibly all year - just the sixth in the UK and the first in Lincolnshire I understand.

Nice to see Freddie Johnson after his hernia op

Also showing well
little gull 2
curlew sandpiper 4
ruff at least 12 some in superb plummage
pintail 1
wheatear 9
yellow wagtail c30

Nice to meet up with you, Chris, and Katherine, too, (inter alia).
Pleased the Pratincole stayed (at least) another day. Initially, the bird (quite flighty), was on the bank on the far side of the stretch of water along the footpath to/opposite East Hide. At 4.45 - to the special delight of the photographers - it flew across and spent c 10 minutes at the water's edge some 15-20m in front of us. It was still showing back across the water when I headed for 360 Hide at 5.30pm.
Also :
7 Whimbrel over (calling)
80+ Brent Geese.

360 Hide ( 5.45 - 6.45 ) :

6 Wheatear
11 Yellow Wagtail
2 Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Curlew Sandpiper
6 Ruff
Turnstone (in dazzling summer plumage)
5 Whimbrel
8 Avocet
40 Brent Geese
2 LR Plover.

Regards,

Freddy

Was great to see the OP yesterday at Frampton and to see so many people buying all the chocolate muffins
Can someone put me straight Is it a 1st for Lincs and is it a 5th for the country.

Any info would be great on this

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Kind Regards

Steve

http://www.southlincsrspb.org.uk

The rare bird alert forum states that there has been five accepted records in the UK and non in Lincolnshire. How reliable the forum is for records I don't know as I am not a member and wasn't able to get any detail

Fairly rare in any case and spectacular. Well worth an afternoon off work yesterday!

Reported as still being present today, although was not seen until about 10.00 a.m.

With Oriental Pratincole being a 'mega' rarity for the country as a whole and a 'first' for Lincolnshire, I know that a few people carried doubts about the identification of this bird before they got there to see it for themselves. Great credit is due to Phil Hyde who was the person that first thought it was an Oriental rather than Collared and had enough confidence to quickly put a call into Rare Bird Alert with the description. Well done Phil!
Of course, Phil would not have been there had Wayne not found and reported the presence of the Pratincole in the first place. Many hundreds of birders are grateful to you both - it really is a stunning bird!

Regards,
Roy

For those that have asked, the Lincs Oriental Pratincole is likely to be the seventh record for Britain, unless there are any records I have missed.

1981 Suffolk (Dunwich) and Essex (Old Hall Marshes)
1988 Kent (Sheppey, presumed same Elmley)
1993 Norfolk (Gimingham, Weybourne, Blakney Point, Burnham Norton, Titchwell and Thornham)
1993 East Sussex (Pevensey Levels)
1993 Suffolk (Havergate Island)
2009 West Sussex (Pagham Harbour), Kent (Dungeness) and possibly Oxfordshire (Otmoor)
2010 Lincolnshire (Frampton)

The 2009 record is still in circulation with BBRC and of course it is possible that our bird is presumed to be the 2009 individual returning…………. but who knows.

Regards

Grahame

Thanks Grahame,

Stunning views of it at 10 am today both in flight and on the ground. Not a lifer though as I was fortunate to see the 93 Norfolk bird.
Good supporting cast too including
2 Male Ruff in summer plumage and displaying
2 Curlew Sandpipers again in summer plumage
1 Little Ringed Plover
3 Little Gull
Loads of Wheatear and Yellow Wagtails.

Hugh

And lets not forget, a big thank you to the RSPB vounteers that are manning the reserve. Without your help, a number of people would have struggled to find the bird and the influx of visitors (mainly twitchers) has no doubt improved the econemy, at least in the visiotor centre with all the teas and coffees they've been making!

Thank you RSPB volunteers!

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Alastair Carr

Where there is a will, there is a way....

Still there this morning, but not very active in chilly conditions.
A photographer, identified as a well known professional birder from out of the county, was reminded that climbing to the top of the bank is unacceptable behaviour. Clearly there was more than 1 prat there today.
Cheers. Rick. With Andy Sims and Rob Carr.

Well said Rick, and also re the volunteers, regards John.

Phew! Been working away, but at least it stayed for me to get to see it last night, at very close range (down to 6 metres!). What a cracking bird!

The bird was showing by the East Hide, and not difficult to find. Any non-LBC members visiting the reserve can pick up a copy of the LBC 2008 report in the reserve centre.

What a great reserve Frampton is turning in too..........



John Badley live on air.....12th May 2010

Andrew

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

The BBRC report for 1994 notes all three 1993 records as probably being unlinked but the Status of Birds in Britain and Ireland recently published, that would not have included the 2009 record, notes the 1981 bird as the first and 4 others since so its a bit confusing but its still VERY rare -- whether there have been 5 or 6 previous records and still no Black-winged in Lincs but surely now only a matter of time

Nice to see some content in the thread about the bird by the way - perhaps general chit chat could be placed in the general chit chat folder

Given the good weather and the fact that I shall probably never see another one, I went for a second helping of the Pratincole this morning (Sat).
It was performing well between 360 Hide and East Hide (closer), repeatedly flying up and down a favoured area. Also further to my list on 10 May :

Little Gull - 3
Garganey drake
with
200+ Brent Geese flying around.

Congratulations to the RSPB staff directing and advising several hundred visitors, including (for me) lining up the drake Garganey viewable from the Visitor Centre on the RSPB 'scope. Thanks again.
Frampton RSPB Reserve really is a green and pleasant haven.

Regards,

Freddy

It looks our friendly Oriental pratincole may have gone......The last confirmed sighting was at about 3pm yesterday (19th), although there is a claim from 7pm last night. No sign so far today. However, 2 Temminck's stints, 1 curlew sandpiper, 3 garganey and 5+ little gulls are still present.

John

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Contact: recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk