We started that day at Deeping Lakes, a Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust reserve near Spalding. This is a group of Lakes in old gravel workings and consists of one large lake plus two groups of smaller lakes. We first went to have a look at the River Welland and soon located the Western Cattle Egret that has been present on this site for some days. We then followed the nature trail and went to explore the main lake and the west lake from the hides which overlook them. Apart from Mute Swans, Black-headed Gulls and hundreds of Swallows and Sand Martins they were quiet.
The East Lakes, however, had a wide variety of birds including Oystercatcher, Avocet, Dunlin and Ringed Plovers. In addition, there were Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Black-headed Gulls with a few Herring Gulls. As with the other lakes, there were large numbers of Swallows and Sand Martins, together with some House Martins and Common Swifts. A group of terns were present but on examination, they were all Common Tern.
Black-headed Gulls
After a stop for coffee in Spalding, we returned to the RSPB reserve at Frampton on the Wash. A Common Cuckoo called as we arrived in the car park. From the Visitors centre we were able to see groups of Swallows restring in the reed-bed.
Leaving the Visitor centre I made my way down towards the hides in the middle of the reserve. A pair of Little Ringed Plover were on the marsh and a Black Tern passed over without stopping. Out on the marsh, a party of 80 Brent Geese were resting and other parties could be seen moving along the coast.
Swallows roosting in reed-bed 
My final stop was the marsh by the visitor centre. A party of Black-tailed Godwits mixed with some Ruff. A single Greenshank and Spotted Redshank were also seen. 5 Barnacle geese fed on a distant field – these should have left for their breeding grounds by now.
An excellent day’s birdwatching.
Brant Goose [sp] (Branta bernicla)
Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Gadwall [sp] (Mareca strepera)
Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Common Pheasant [sp] (Phasianus colchicus)
Great Crested Grebe [sp] (Podiceps cristatus)
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Little Egret [sp] (Egretta garzetta)
Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk [sp] (Accipiter nisus)
Common Buzzard [sp] (Buteo buteo)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Eurasian Oystercatcher [sp] (Haematopus ostralegus)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Common Ringed Plover [sp] (Charadrius hiaticula)
Little Ringed Plover [sp] (Charadrius dubius)
Black-tailed Godwit [sp] (Limosa limosa)
Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
Dunlin [sp] (Calidris alpina)
Common Redshank [sp] (Tringa totanus)
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Common Tern [sp] (Sterna hirundo)
Black Tern [sp] (Chlidonias niger)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Eurasian Collared Dove [sp] (Streptopelia decaocto)
Common Cuckoo [sp] (Cuculus canorus)
Common Swift [sp] (Apus apus)
European Green Woodpecker [sp] (Picus viridis)
Common Kestrel [sp] (Falco tinnunculus)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Skylark [sp] (Alauda arvensis)
Sand Martin [sp] (Riparia riparia)
Barn Swallow [sp] (Hirundo rustica)
Common House Martin [sp] (Delichon urbicum)
Cetti’s Warbler [sp] (Cettia cetti)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Eurasian Reed Warbler [sp] (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Eurasian Blackcap [sp] (Sylvia atricapilla)
Garden Warbler [sp] (Sylvia borin)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
House Sparrow [sp] (Passer domesticus)
White Wagtail (Pied) (Motacilla alba yarrellii)
Common Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)
European Greenfinch [sp] (Chloris chloris)
European Goldfinch [sp] (Carduelis carduelis)
Pete's Favourite Things 