A Late Summer Visit to Frampton Marsh

25th July 2023

After a fantastic morning with the Black-winged Stilts time for a wander around the reserve. Much of the action was by the visitor centre with the customary welcome from the Goldfinches.

A new addition to the reserve is a young Pink-footed Goose which seems to regard the visitor centre as its home and tries to get into the cafe. Not too surprising with all that cake inside. I have been photographing a flightless Pink-footed Goose at Frampton for a couple of years now but no idea where this young bird came from.

A male Marsh Harrier appeared over the reed bed a couple of times but always distant, possibly bringing in food for some young. Pity it didn't come closer.

The Spoonbills were on show again with 19 counted today. Most of the birds were huddled up asleep on an island, but one or two birds were fishing in the pools.

It's going to take a lot of fish this size to fill this fella up.

Despite the sleeping flock there was quite a lot of activity with plenty of flying to and fro.

There were also a number of waders close in to the path like this Common Sandpiper. Feeding conditions were just right with plenty of wet mud.

There was also an adult Little Ringed Plover with a few chicks that were even closer!!

And finaly some Ruff in an assortment of colours.

Not sure why they have to fight when there are acres of mud to go round.

Fairly quiet at the 360 Hide but there were 15 Greenshank amongst the Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets and Redshank on a distant island.

In fact the only bird close in was this rather smart Black-tailed Godwit which not only posed for a photo but also showed me its black tail.

Avocets were very much in evidence as usual with the added bonus this time of some fluffy chicks.

Just how cute are they?

Back along the trail a lone Green Sandpiper was feeding in a small pool. I heard some over the reed bed by the visitor centre but this was the only one I saw all day.

Also along the trail was this rather dapper Sedge Warbler................

.................which was singing its heart out from a Phrag head.

Won't be long now before he is back off to Africa.

But the biggest surprise of all today was the sight of a Whooper Swan wandering across the field south of the main track. It wasn't on site during my last visit and the theory is that it is one of the summering birds from Welney, but currently still a mystery.