Sites of ‘mega’ interest
Colin Smale marks the arrival of rare breeds such as the White-tailed Lapwing and ‘Steppe’ Great Grey Shrike at local birdwatching spots.
It gives us joy to see a mere song thrush in the garden, or to hear a blackbird singing from the rooftops, but for dedicated birders the chance to glimpse a species never before recorded in the county, or even the country, is irresistible, sparking swift pilgrimages to local reserves and windswept estuaries where rarity and unpredictability combine to create thrilling moments in British birding.
The skies over Lincolnshire have welcomed many rare wanderers – the vibrant blue Roller, the bold American Robin, the shy White-tailed Lapwing and the ‘Steppe’ Great Grey Shrike – each a fleeting thread in the tapestry of its wild places, yet unknown to most who walk beneath them. But one rare visitor stands out in my memory for being so ‘mega-friendly’!
A first for Lincolnshire
In an exciting series of sightings, a White-tailed Lapwing – a rare visitor to the UK – was observed at multiple locations in Lincolnshire and nearby during late 2021 and early 2022.
The first notable appearance was at RSPB Blacktoft Sands reserve, just across the River Trent from Lincolnshire, where the bird was present from August to October 2021.
Later it was seen at East Halton Pits, Lincolnshire from 31st December 2021 into January 2022, even braving the cold winter conditions. Around the same time, another sighting was reported at Elsham, also in Lincolnshire, in December 2021. This elegant wader, native to parts of southeastern Europe and Asia, is rarely seen in Britain. It stands out with its pale sandy-brown plumage, long yellow legs, and in flight a distinctive wing pattern showing dark, white and grey, along with a prominent white tail – true to its name.
These sightings generated considerable interest among birdwatchers and added a special highlight to the region’s winter birding records.
On a cold November day in 2008 at Grainthorpe Haven, a ‘mega’ arrived on our shores in the form of a ‘Steppe’ Great Grey Shrike, a rare vagrant from Central Asia, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and never recorded in our county before.
Birdwatchers travel the length and breadth of the country to see a ‘mega’, which may or may not be there by the time they reach the site. By the time they arrive, the bird will be easy to spot even if it is hiding in deep undergrowth, because there will be dozens (sometimes hundreds) of birdwatchers huddled up on one spot eager to get the best view and pictures – just look for the birdwatchers!
They need not have worried about not seeing this shrike, which stayed for 19 days; it was as though it had never seen a human being before because it took absolutely no notice of anybody as it fed and foraged around wellington boots and tripods.
One elderly gentleman who had driven all the way from Sussex said that he would have been happy just to have seen this shrike from 50 yards away as it perched on his cap – not all ‘megas’ are as confiding I can assure you! I wonder, what will the next ‘mega’ be?
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Lincolnshire Life Magazine Newsletter 12/25 - mailchi.mp/lincolnshirelife.co.uk/lincolnshire-life-magazine-newsletter-12-25