For me Hawthorpe has always been a very special place, it has an incredibly wild isolated feel about it, very much like the feeling you get from the Wash , there are very few places like this left in Lincolnshire.
I have been watching it during the Winter for over 20 years and although it will probably never turn up a rarity the birds we do get regularly are superb, it will almost certainly attract a Rough Legged Buzzard one of these Winters?
The site used to be a fairly regular roost site for Hen Harriers but never more than two at a time, the ringtails often would fly in at dusk from Temple Wood , drift over our heads and alight on the bush that stands alone on the West side, I had regular Ringtails in the late 80s at Boothby Pagnell and Bitchfield which were almost certainly these Hawthorpe birds , these Harriers are unfortunately becoming less frequent with only a handful of sightings over the last few Winters, one of these being a splendid Male.
Stonechats also find the area appealing and are becoming more abundant with a count of 3 pairs earlier this winter, with patience these inquisitive birds often approach the car and sit on the gate posts down to about 10 feet away.
Its one of the best sites locally to observe and study the enigmatic Short Eared Owl, with up to six birds being seen together this Winter, incredibly difficult to get close to them but if you remain still for long enough they will come very close to you.
Barn Owls hunt the area every day and often get very close and with patience and determination Long Eared Owls can be seen hunting along the woodland edge of Temple wood.
Red Kites and Raven have also increased dramatically.
lincsbirders 