Help needed please! Visit to Lincs next week

[scampo]

Can anyone offer help, please?

I will be visiting Lincs. (from Loughborough) next week for a day's birding with my two sons and friend and again in the New Year. We normally go in January to start off a good birding list for the year and visit where I call "Cut End" near Freiston / Frampton shore because the hide there is well placed and comfy in the cold winds of the coast - and we're there quickly (it's about 80 miles from us)!

I was wondering if there were better places to go for a day? I keep hearing of "Donna Nook" from the Lincs. Birding Group emails but don't know it - is that a better choice?

[bukem]

Hello Scampo

Unfortunatly I have not been to either location, but in my experience variety is the key. If you are due to return in the new year I would try Donna Nook and if it's not as good tell everyone about Cut End. Good luck

[scampo]

Thanks for that - I've just found a web page on Donna Nook so I'll investigate that.

[Dipper]

I live close to Donna Nook and know it well. Now is an ideal time to visit; a very large number of Snow Buntings and Twite have spent the last few winters there close to the seal wardens hut. Lots of Atlantic Grey Seals of course which attract large numbers of visitors. Wrap up well if there is a northerly blowing. Usually a wide choice of raptors in the area if you give them time. I also used to live in Loughborough and could do the trip in about 90 minutes, but that was 15 years ago, far more trafffic now. Just down the road is Sea View and Rimac, both top east coast sites. Also the Tetney Marsh RSPB northwards. I hope you enjoy your visit!!

[Doug]

I can recommend Donna Nook - good chances of a wide range of shoreline species - and some of our best ever views of hunting Barn Owl nearby.

I am also hearing good things of Gibralter Point reserve on the same stretch of coast. A search for Tetney marshes on the net might be worthwhile too as I notice from bird reports a good range of species reported there - again I have yet to go - probably in January.

[scampo]

Thanks for that - I shall do a search, too, as I think the Lincs. bird club have a web site. I should think the determining factor will be tide times so I shall have to look those up before we leave. In the past we have not been able to be get to the "cut end" of the River Witham near to high tide but have still seen an interesting selection.

[Doug]

Hi Scampo

try the Lincs Wildlife Trust site at http://www.lincstrust.co.uk/ and click on reserves to get the full info on Gibralter point and their other reserves.

Doug

[scampo]

Thanks "Dipper"

Are you a Loughborough man or were you a student?

I wish we had a couple of days - I might just think about B&B but much depends on the weather. Your comment on wrapping up against the weather reminded me that we've spent some of our coldest birdwatching times in Lincs - the winter wind at that "cut end" can be vicious but now there's a good hide there it's far better once you've braved the walk along the river.

I'll look into Tetney Marshes as well - it is getting lots of reports - I think Lapland bunting are there at present. Apparently there are Sardinian warblers in Skeggie - but I don't think we'll bother. Last time we were there we went first to Freiston RSPB but saw next to nothing, sadly. Two great wardens there, though - very helpful as ever. Good old RSPB!

[Dipper]

Hi Scampo. I was neither, just lived there for 5 ish years but I was an athlete loosely associated with the univ. with birding thrown in around the local reservoirs.

As for cold, Lincolnshire in winter with any kind of wind blowing feels colder than -35C in Finland with no wind.

I work close to Freiston but the unnatural feel to the place doesn't attract me. Like Rutland Water in its early days, great potential, but I do like naturally wild places. Cut End does feel natural though, even better from a boat.

[scampo]

Couldn't agree more with you regarding "natural" feel - for me a walk through woodland viewing an illusive warbler knocks spots off much else.

Rutland Water is only now beginning to lose its artificial look to my eyes and yes, Freiston is just like that at the moment.

So... in Lincs. where would you recommend as "wholly natural"?

[John Marshall]

Hi Scampo,
If you want somewhere reasonably natural, try many of the saltmarshes around the Wash from Wainfleet in the north to Gedney Drove End in the south. I have birded and wildfowled these areas for over fifty years and have seen many impressive sights during this time. These are truly still wild places. Beware of tides and wrap up warm as it can be pretty cold. Good luck with your Lincolnshire visit. You dont have to go to Reserves to see birds all the time!!!

[scampo]

John

It's my eldest, Nick - he likes reserves. I think he has this idea that the birds take their holidays there. And, he might be right!

I think if it's a single day, it'll be Freiston + Cut End, if two days I'll add in Gibraltar Point and Donna Nook or Tetney Marshes?

[John Marshall]

Scampo,

I dont think you will go far wrong with your "Lincolnshire choice" my thought was that if you wanted isolation and solitude - as well as birds - the wildness of our marshes in winter is ideal. Whatever enjoy your visit to our flat lands.

[scampo]

Thanks everyone for your help and advice. I'll report on my sightings after the event!

What nice people live in Lincs!

[Geoff Brown]

Scampo

If you go to Freiston/Frampton please keep to the sea bank. If you don't know the area or the tides it is very dangerous to venture too far out into the marshes.

[scampo]

Thanks for the advice. I have been before, Geoff, but have not seen anywhere other than Gibraltar Point, Cut End and Freiston. Usually we just walk along the Cut to the hide at the end. It will probably be too cold, wet and windy to walk on to the marshes themselves knowing our luck!