Frampton Marsh RSPB - 22/9

It is always a treat to visit Frampton Marsh and today was no exception. I started at the reedbed hide and immediately located a pair of juvenile Little Stints feeding on one of the small islands. The same lagoon also held up to 8 Ruff, most of which were juvenile birds. From the 360 degree hide I found several Meadow Pipits and a couple of adult Black - tailed Godwits as well as more Ruff. I now headed along the river Wissey to my Wash lookout post ! The tide was just starting to come in as I arrived. Immediately I spotted a good number of Gannets flying offshore. Within the next 2 hours I probably identified around 50 birds 70% of which were juveniles. On the sea close to the river mouth I also found a small flock of 15 Common Eider, presumably the same birds I had seen previously in the autumn and winter, including 3 eclipse plumage males. On the mudflats were a host of waders including over 1000 Golden Plovers, 400 Oystercatcher, 100+ Ringed Plovers, 100+ Grey Plovers, 80+ Knot, 200 Dunlin, 200+ Curlew and a couple of Bar - tailed Godwits and a Sanderling ! Fantastic. As if this were not enough I also managed to find a flock of 100+ Sandwich Terns loafing at the waters edge chiefly made up of juveniles. On the walk back a flock of around 40 Brent Geese flew along the river giving their evocative honking calls and a single Chiffchaff was found in the bushes. What a wonderful day !!