We’ve had a great day here at Frampton Marsh today! I have been away from the reserve for a week and have come back to thousands of birds, beautiful blue skies and a very special visitor.
Heading down to the visitor centre this morning I couldn’t have wished for a better day. It was a bit colder than it has been but the sun was shining in a cloudless sky and there were ducks, geese and waders in amazing numbers. Whilst I was opening up the shutters on the visitor centre the birds on the reedbed all took flight (this may have been due to me making a racket but who knows) it was spectacular to see them all up in the air.
At about 11 o’clock though, the excitement kicked off. Three visitors came into the visitor centre and said they had seen a bittern. Well, I’m going to be honest, for a minute I didn’t believe them. We had never had a bittern on the reserve before. This was a big deal. After them describing it and having a look in the book it was obvious that it was a bittern that they had seen. I rang the office and a few minutes later the truck and car whizzed past with several staff members in.
Unfortunately this seems to be a particularly elusive bittern as it hasn’t been seen since that first group of people spotted it. I did get to see a photo a visitor had taken but I am determined to see it for real. It will be the first bittern I’ve ever seen and to see the first one ever to come to Frampton Marsh would be pretty special.
So you know who to call if you see our bittern in the reeds ...
Jaz
Hello,
It has been very cold on the reserve today. The wind has had a real bite to it.
Sightings:
Whooper swan 8
White-fronted goose 27
Barnacle goose 30
Brent goose 1000+
Goldeneye 2
Spotted redshank 2
Dunlin 13
Lapwing 1000+
Golden plover 600+
Grey plover 1
Ruff 1
Peregrine 2
Merlin 1
Hen harrier (m) 1
Barn owl 1
Cheers,
Simon.
it has been a typical November day today. The wind has been on the bitter side, and we have even had a few spots of rain too.
Today's sightings highlights have included:
Pink-footed goose 12
White-fronted goose 35
Barnacle goose 35
Pintail 22
Sparrowhawk 2
Marsh harrier (f) 1
Little owl 1
Lapwing 850+
Golden plover 400+
Snipe 40+
Black-tailed godwit 18
Kingfisher 1
Weekend Weather-
Saturday will be a bit grey and overcast with high temperatures of 11C. The wind will come from the South west at a speed of 20mph.
Sunday will be much sunnier and brighter with Highs of 12C. The wind will be westerly at 19mph.
Tides-
Day
AM Tides
Height (m)
PM Tides
25
Fri
05.18
7.7
17.47
26
Sat
06.11
7.8
18.32
27
Sun
07.01
19.15
28
Mon
07.51
7.5
19.58
7.6
29
Tue
08.37
7.1
20.39
7.3
30
Wed
09.23
6.6
21.20
6.9
1
Thu
10.12
6.2
22.05
6.5
2
11.08
5.8
22.58
6.1
3
12.15
5.5
4
00.03
5.9
13.22
Other news-
The Frampton Marsh bittern has yet to show itself again. if you happen to be on the reserve, and see the bittern (or any other rare bird for that matter) please drop in to the visitor centre and let us know.
Sorry, I tried to enter the image of the bittern, but computer say no!
Frampton Marsh
Optics Day.
Saturday 19th November
10am – 4pm.
Come and join our optical experts for a day of demonstration.
Great bargains available on Swarovski, Leica, Viking, RSPB and Puffin binoculars and scopes.
Hi,
Whooper swan 23 (on the reservior)
Pink-footed goose 200+ over, 9 on the scrapes
Brent goose 950+ on the salt marsh with a black brant.
Teal 250+
Ruff 3
Dunlin 12
Hen Harrier (f) 1
Great grey shrike still showing well at the river mouth.