Freiston shore

After a lazy start to the day ( couldn’t be bothered to get up early for the high tide), I arrived at Freiston car park mid morning with the intention of winkling out a few migrants. Conditions weren’t really great but I gave it a go. A good walk along a half mile stretch of trees and scrub along the old sea wall towards Butterwick produced ……. one blue tit! Hardly anything on the way back either, plenty of swallows, a few sand martins and a couple of willow warblers made up the total. It was rubbish to be honest.

A few whimbrels called from the saltmarsh and a raggedy looking marsh harrier drifted inland. A group of 22 little grebes graced the lagoon together with a few common waders.

It was 3pm and still no migrants of note. Then, at the far end of the wetland trail the first of 15 whinchats popped up. Lovely little birds, probably the most I’ve seen in a day. Things were looking up. There were at least 9 in the sunflower field with 6 more on fenceposts, along with 5 wheatears. Some yellow wags fed amongst cattle. Slightly better stuff.

3 more marsh harriers, all very dark juv. types showed up together near the Witham mouth and a hobby caused mass panic amid the hirundines, capturing a swallow. Great action.

As I was leaving Paul Sullivan turned up, along with a few other birders ready for the evening high tide. Paul had seen a couple of black terns at the Witham mouth in the morning.

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