Seymour Birdies Diary: Mid May at Frampton Marsh

14th May 2023

Another trip to Frampton Marsh to see what the middle of May has to offer. What I like about Frampton is that the day starts in the car park and today was no exception with this Avocet feeding just 10 yards away.....................

.....................and a Spoonbill in front of the visitor centre.

At the 360 hide there was plenty of action from the Shovelers and Oystercatchers........................

..................but the best performance came from the pair of Lapwing that were engaged in an aerial courtship display.

At East Hide there were the usual suspects like this pair of Shelduck and a Redshank. The Redshank was having a bath while its youngster was trying to feed in the grass.

This hide can be very good for close-ups and today was no exception when this Common Sandpiper appeared and walked by the hide.

Along the sea wall there were still several hundred Brent Geese around still waiting to start their migration north and yet more Avocets, this time with young.

A couple of Common Terns were fishing along the stream by the predator fence which gave some great oppportunities for flight shots, especially when they were hovering.

There were a few Meadow Pipits out on the saltmarsh which were engaging in many song flights...................

....................followed by their amazing parachuting to ground.

Along the trail back to the visitor centre a flock of Black-tailed Godwits, mostly still in their winter plumage, were fairly mobile and showing off their black terminal tail band and wing bars.

Also on the grassland was a single Little Ringed Plover which was fairly accomodating.

But the stars of the show today were the Ruff which were starting to come into summer plumage. This was a special treat for me as I usually photograph Ruff in spring and autumn and therefore miss out on the summer plumage.