There are many excellent Birdwatching sites in Lincolnshire, representing another wonderful tourism opportunity for the county.
However, the county is one of the most ‘under-watched’ – not because we don’t have birds to watch, quite the reverse – but we haven’t been good at telling people about them! So definitely a case of ‘could do better’. Working with Lincolnshire Bird Club, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and the RSPB, we are developing a series of Bird Trails across the county. These will use the insider knowledge of the people who know the sites intimately, giving information on what to see at the various locations and the all-important, when.
Our first trail is going to be on the coast, from Alkborough Flats in the north to RSPB Frampton at the southern end. This is a migration super highway and the different seasons bring an ever changing cast of birds, so repeat more general enthusiasts and casual birdwatchers, who will appreciate our helping hand in terms of the places to go. This is an affluent audience who will visit regularly when they discover what we have to offer. The Birdwatching area of www.visitlincolnshire.com will be developed, there is a new three minute video on RSPB Frampton and some shorter videos offering birdwatching tips.
Maybe you are a keen birdwatcher yourself, but do point out the opportunities to your visitors, particularly the seasonal changes. It may not be the sole reason why that casual Springwatch audience make a visit to Lincolnshire, but they will be blown away by the rarities that can be seen.
Free downloads
Frampton Marsh bird photography
Feel free to use our photographs, logo and descriptions on your own websites and we will notify you as further trails are rolled out.
To get you started we have complied a selection of bird photography captured at Frampton Marsh for businesses to use.
As a final inspiration, the following is a snippet from the winter season at RSPB Frampton by warden Toby Collett, which just makes you want to visit immediately, the other seasons are just as good!
“With Autumn habitat management complete and water levels at their peak, few reserves manage to cram as many birds in as Frampton. Grasslands heavy with Wigeon, Lapwing and Golden Plover (often over 5,000 of each) are often the first thing that catch the eye on arrival. The visitor centre feeding station is alive with finches, sparrows and tits while Wigeon and Teal will often feed only a few metres in front of the windows. A scan of the reedbed can produce Goldeneye, Pochard and Tufted Duck with the occasional Scaup hidden among them.
Heading out onto the reserve, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and House Sparrows chatter incessantly as they feed in the wildflower strip while a lone Stonechat eyes up a snack from its vantage point. A scan over the grassland reveals thousands of waders and wildfowl, made up predominantly of Wigeon, Golden Plover and Lapwing. Checking the fence post may produce a sedentary sentinel as Peregrine and Merlin often scan for their quarry.
Heading up on to the sea bank raises the days tally with thousands of Brent Geese feeding on the saltmarsh. Patience is your friend from the view point and birds of prey are your reward. Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Peregrine and Merlin are your big 5 targets, with Barn Owl, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel as a supporting cast.
As you walk along the sea bank, sift through Meadow Pipits for the darker Rock Pipit and you may get lucky with a Snow Bunting. Little Egrets, Redshank and Curlew feed in and around the creeks with high tide bringing in the occasional Grey Plover and Turnstone.
An elevated view over the grassland gives a good opportunity to pick out Snipe, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit feeding on the fringes. Pintail, Shoveler and Gadwall can be picked out among the numerous Teal and Wigeon.
Heading back past the scrapes and you may be lucky to get swarmed by hundreds of Brent Geese or thousands of Golden Plover coming in to bathe and drink. The reed lined ditches host Reed Bunting with the outside chance of Bearded Tit and Cetti’s Warbler.
Staying on till dusk at the Visitor Centre can be rewarded with hunting Barn Owls, 100+ Whooper Swans coming into roost and a Starling murmuration of up to 30,000.”
