Trip reports

Coach Trip to Whisby Nature Park

Sunday, 13 May 2007

Whisby Nature Park was opened in 1989 and comprises a complex of small, medium and large flooded gravel pits. There is just one major stream, the Pike Drain, an agricultural drain of some local importance. Water level control maintains flower-rich wet grassland and suitable breeding conditions for common terns on Butcher Island in Grebe Lake.
Those of us who had visited the reserve before were hopeful that our previous sighting of nightingale would be repeated.
Sunday morning was grey and cool as thirty-two members boarded the coach for the two and a quarter hour trip to Lincolnshire.
On arrival, light rain was falling and the outlook was not at all promising. We split into two groups, some members going off on their own, others remaining with the group leader, Joan Hornby. First stop was the feeding station, where we hoped to see tree sparrow - but to no avail, so onwards to Coot Lake. Here, we could certainly hear nightingale, but no sightings. The swifts overhead, however, were a sight to see. Following the path and the route of the Pike Drain between Coot Lake and Thorpe Lake, there were more nightingales to be heard.
We looped West Lake and returned to our start point before cutting through to the hide on Grebe Lake. Here we ate lunch whilst watching common tern, ringed plover, lapwing and oystercatcher on Butcher Island. It was only after we had moved on that a nightingale put in an appearance and some members were fortunate enough to get a good sighting. Next we made our way to the sand martin colony, on the way seeing whitethroat dancing in flight and a brief, but positive sighting of a cuckoo flying over. The sand martin colony was, to all intents and purposes, deserted - with just a small number of martins in the area but only one seen to use a burrow.
Heading back to our start point, we saw willow warbler and more whitethroat but at this point the rain became heavier and we were ready for a drink in the café before leaving at 4.00 p.m.
Other sightings on the day included collared dove, blue tit, chaffinch, mute swan, coot, greylag, tufted duck, great tit, moorhen, great crested grebe, willow warbler, reed and sedge warblers, canada goose, robin, mallard and cormorant.

In summary, for most of us, the nightingales were heard but not seen (though still a magical experience), lots of more common birds, with acrobatic whitethroat displays and our first cuckoo of the year to add that special ingredient to the day.
Special thanks are due to our group leader, Joan, who amazed us all with her ability to recognise such a wide variety of birdcalls.