Collard Pratincole

I had my second trip to Lincolnshire and faired marginally better than my last trip.
First I went for the tawny pipit at Tetney Lock and spent another 3 fruitless hours marching up and down looking for it.
The only consolation was some superbly coloured dotterel in the pea field long the side of the canal.
Then I went to Immingham for the collard pratincole. At first it was sat on a small island pretty close then it went hawking insects for about 2 hours giving some spectacular flight displays but making it pretty tricky to photograph.
I was very pleased with these results and could be tempted to go back tomorrow-unless something crops up at Spurn....

I have had a couple of half sessions at Spurn over the weekend. Friday's was a bit disappointing as I arrived late and there was not a great deal of stuff about. yesterday I got there for 6.00 and the morning was absolutely gorgeous-no wind the river was like glass and the air filled with birdsong. I started off on beacon Lane and there were 4 singing grasshopper warblers 2 of which were quite obliging and happy to sing in full view whilst I was only 10m away, There was also a few whitethroats and sedge warblers about and a single reed warbler. Then on to Beacon ponds where there was a few little terns a single sandwich tern and a grey plover.
News of a red rumped swallow crackled over the radio as did 4 shorelarks at Chalk Bank.
On the way back down I saw a single green hairstreak flying north down Beacon Lane.

Spring Gems

I had a trip out of county today.
Up before dawn and arrived on site at 6.00. It was still quite misty and no one was there.
As soon as I got through the gates I heard the unmistakeable sound of a nightingale.
Further into the site there was another 2 then even further was this one.
It was being coaxed to sing by a nearby female-the next couple of hours were awesome as it sang at the top of its voice and quite occasionally appeared out in the open.
One of natures true wonders.