Frampton Marsh

If there was a competition to decide the best RSPB reserve, it would be very hard to look much further than Frampton Marsh in Lincolnshire. Today I watched two pairs of black-winged stilts with three and two chicks, in amongst large numbers of avocets. I've no idea exactly how many pairs of the latter there are here, but if I was told that there were 200 avocet chicks this year I wouldn't be surprised, the place was covered in them. Lot's of other waders too, around 40 ruff, some with ruffs, hundreds of brick red black-tailed godwits, a flock of 20 greenshank flew over calling and I still can't get the calls of redshank and oystercatchers out of my ears. 

Amazingly while I was there today, a male red-necked phalarope dropped in and showed well, resplendent in his full breeding plumage, yet only a pale imitation of the magnificent female. Meanwhile 10 spoonbills were in front of reception, marsh harriers quartered the marsh, corn buntings sang in the adjacent fields and common terns mobbed me as I walked along the sea bank close to their colony. A fabulous place.

Black-winged stilt chicks. The species has been around in unusually high numbers this year and they have bred in several places.

Black-winged stilt chick.

Spoonbills.

Juvenile avocets.

Common tern.

The male black-winged stilt has jet black wings...

....whereas the female is more brown.

This is the second pair with three chicks. Much more distant.

Red-necked phalarope.

Spoonbills.