Bird wise
In life, sometimes you need a bit of insider knowledge. Nowhere is this truer than for bird watching. By Mary Powell, Visit Lincolnshire.
We have been working with the Lincolnshire Bird Club and other conservation bodies on exactly that: an insider’s guide to birdwatching in Lincolnshire, from the people who know.
Starting with a Coastal Bird Trail, it will tell you about what to see at the various reserves and more importantly when. This is a migration super-highway, so who’s about is ever changing.
Toby Collett from the Bird Club has been working on the trail. He is also warden at RSPB Frampton Marsh and tells me that almost 260 species of birds have been recorded there. I asked Toby for just a few seasonal Frampton highlights. He says, in winter “grasslands heavy with wigeon, lapwing and golden plover (often over 5,000 of each) are often the first thing that catch the eye on arrival.”
He goes on to urge, “patience is your friend and birds of prey are your reward. Marsh harrier, hen harrier, short-eared owl, peregrine and merlin are your big five, with barn owl, buzzard, sparrowhawk and kestrel the supporting cast.”
Why not stay on till dusk, he suggests: “You might see hunting barn owls, whooper swans coming into roost and a starling murmuration of up to 30,000.
“A late April treat is the abundance of yellow wagtails, often building to over 100 and occasionally hosting a blue-headed wagtail or two. Avocets are scrapping with little ringed plovers, ringed plovers and oystercatchers, chasing off anything that strays too close to a prospective nest.
“From July onwards, timing your visit with big tides makes a huge difference. The reserve’s birdlife can often double in a few hours, with the August and September tides being your best chance of a 25 wader day target.
“In the autumn, with so many birds gathering, the opportunity for a snack won’t go begging. September is a great month to see all four species of UK falcon on one day.”
The Coastal Bird Trail launches this Easter and can be found on www.visitlincolnshire.com
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Grantham school joins Carol Service in celebration of town’s hospital![]()
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Pupils from St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy are taking part in the first Carol Service to celebrate the special relationship Grantham and District Hospital has with the town and surrounding communities.![]()
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The school children will join in the singing of favourite Christmas Carols as well as perform their own set musical piece at the Carol Service on Thursday 11th December at 7pm, in St Wulfram’s church, Grantham.![]()
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Deputy Head Teacher Olivia Mumford said: “The Carol Service is a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to share the joy of music while showing appreciation for the incredible work done at Grantham and District Hospital. It’s a privilege to support such an important event in our town."![]()
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The Carol Service has been organised by United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity, who work closely with staff at Grantham and District Hospital and provides those extras for staff and patients that NHS budgets are unable to fund. ![]()
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Further details on the Grantham NHS Carol Service can be found by visiting www.ulhcharity.org.uk/news/christmas-carols-at-grantham-st-wulfram-church-in-thanks-for-towns-sup...