The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Swifts are starting to fledge now and the next 2 weeks represents the best time to confirm them breeding in their screaming family parties. In East Lincs we still need to confirm them in the 10km squares listed below. Please either submit your record as a roving one through the BTO Atlas website or reply below and I'll add it for you. I'll report back at the end of the month and let you know how we've done so please keep your eyes peeled when you are out and about.

TF58 Mablethorpe, Sutton on Sea
TF47 Alford
TF57 Hogsthorpe, Chapel St Leonards
TF36 Hagworthingham to Stickford
TF25 Coningsby, New York
TF45 Wrangle, Friskney, Wainfleet
TF55 Gib Point
TF24 Langrick to Swineshead
TF44 Benington Sea End to Hurn's End

Could anyone visiting TF44 please bear in mind this is the most poorly recorded square for confirmed breeding in East Lincs (69% unconfirmed) and all breeding records from that square would be welcome. All Swift breeding records anywhere in the county would also be welcome.

Phil

Good timing - I had them today in TF25 E & J!

TF44 shouldn't, in theory, take too long to cover as it is ~80% water and ~20% brassica's !
Fledged Tawny Owl in Boston central park yesterday, courtesy of one of the park keepers, who also told me that that 2 pairs have nested there this year. How well has the county recorded these sometimes elusive (to see, anyway) beasts ? They must occur as breeders in most 10k squares ?

Phil

An update on breeding Swifts. Aswell as the above in the last couple of days I've had reports of breeding Swifts in Mablethorpe, Sutton on Sea, Huttoft, Maltby le Marsh and Hogsthorpe so we are now down to just 5 squares where Swifts need confirming.

TF36 Hagworthingham to Stickford
TF45 Wrangle, Friskney, Wainfleet
TF55 Gib Point
TF24 Langrick to Swineshead
TF44 Benington Sea End to Hurn's End

one of our rspb members in cleethorpes has installed 2 swift boxes on his home. one of which is occupied and he fitted a web camera to the box allowing him to watch everything on his tele, this has been fascinating to watch especially the lice they carry usually on the nape of the neck. he has watched them since they arrived, laid 2 eggs hatched feeding and he says the should fledge sometime this coming wk so despite the reduction of suitable breeding habitat in the new type houses being built every bit helps. he is hoping for both boxes to be occupied next year, well done to john youlls,

terry whalin

Hi Phil,

Looking at these squares :

TF36 Hagworthingham to Stickford
TF45 Wrangle, Friskney, Wainfleet
TF55 Gib Point
TF24 Langrick to Swineshead
TF44 Benington Sea End to Hurn's End

I see that Wainfleet is in TF45 (tetrad Z) - any birders live there who could confirm FL for Swift ? I'm sure there are plenty there. I'll re-visit the brassica square TF44 too. Any birders in TF55....?

Phil

Swifts confirmed in TF36 today at Hundleby so we are down to 4 squares in the South now.

Thats 24, 44, 45 and 55.

Had a great day out confirming breeding in TF 37 and 36. Bird of the day for me was a beautiful flight displaying Turtle Dove at Oxcombe. Only my second this year.

Swifts confirmed at Swineshead North End on Monday evening en route through TF24.

That leaves only TF44, 45 and 55.

Someone driving up the A52 through Wainfleet could easily cover 45 and 55 as the grid line passes through the town, the eastern end "New England" falling in the Gib square TF55.

Very active this morning Sat 24 July
Leasingham - up to 12 over village
Ruskington - several groups totalling over 20 altogether.

Dave Purnell

FYI had a Swift down Oxford Street in Grimsby Tuesday lunchtime (27/08).


(Not sure this has any relevance to records but haven't seen one for a while previously ).

Paid a visit to Wainfleet all Saints today with Rob Carr and was able to confirm Swift breeding with no trouble, over 100 birds in fact.

Despite extensive searching in the east of Wainfleet in TF 55 unable to confirm any breeding, leaving this and TF44 the only squares in East Lincs without breeding Swifts so far.

Was able to confirm breeding of a number of commoner breeding birds in TF55 in the Wainfleet area including House and Tree Sparrow, Collared Dove, Chaffinch, Willow Warbler, Yellow Wagtail and Carrion Crow.

The highlight in Wainfleet St Mary were territorial Corn Buntings and 2 separate singing Quail. If anyone local would like to confirm these birds as still being on territory in a weeks time (so treating them as probably breeding rather than possibly) and trying to confirm the Corn Buntings as breeding please pm me and I will give you the exact location details.

I have not posted the precise location as I am unsure about the position of Quail as a breeding rarity.