Upcoming events at the Visitor Centre: -
Talk & Dinner - One Good Tern deserves a Shorebird Warden. Friday 17th April 6:30-9pm https://OneGoodTernDeservesaShorebirdWarden.eventbrite.co.uk
Drop-in-event - A Day for the Little Tern, Saturday 18th April, 10am-4pm -
Join us as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our Shorebird Sanctuary and discover how this special place has changed over the decades. - Drop-in activities for all ages.https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/events/2026-04-18-day-little-tern
April 6th. A cold start with groud frost in some areas, but becoming sunny ansd progressively warmer.
New migrants in the East Dunes early morning were a Grasshopper Warbler and a splendid male Ring Ouzel. Numbers of Blackcap had increased with an extra Sedge Warbler typicaly along Mill Pond Road. In addition to a small number of passage Corvids and Finches, single Brambling, Snipe and Green Sandpiper passed south, with 5 Buzzards and 2 Med Gulls later.
April 5th. Broken cloud and sunny intervals with heavy rain showers passing through on a moderate westerly.
Highlights of the day were another big wader roost on the morning tide, and 2 Jack Snipe, found at the back of the Fresh Water Marsh. Two Red Kites passed through heading south during the morning with another three later. On Tennyson's Sands, a pair of Pintail were feeding and the long staying female Scaup was again on show.
Also on Tennyson's Sands were 61 Brent Geese, 42 Avocet, 5 Black-tailed Godwits and a Cetti's Warbler. Also about the Reserve were a Tawny Owl, 2 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler and 10 Siskin.
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| Pair of Pintail on Tennyson's Sands, 5th April 2026 Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| Pair of Gadwall, 5th April 2026 Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| Lesser black-backed Gulls, 5th April 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Male Blackcap, 5th April 2026 Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| Male Siskin, 5th April 2026 Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
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| 2 of 3 Roe Deer on the New Saltmarsh out from the Wash Viewpoint, 5th April 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
Highlights of the day were the 3 White-fronted Geese again in Field 10 and the female Scaup still on Tennyson's Sands. The Shorelark was again on the foreshore saltings and 3 Red Kite drifted south over the reserve through the early afternoon. Visible migration was few and far between but a Lapland Bunting did fly over heading south. The first Sedge Warbler of the year was singing on Tennyson's Sands (North Hide) and the first Willow Warbler of the year was singing in the East Dunes.
The water bodies held 49 Shelduck, 55 Shoveler, 16 Gadwall, 21 Mallard, 20 Teal, 24 Tufted Duck, 1 Water Rail (Singing from near Fenella Hope hide on Tennyson's Sands), 15 Little Grebe, 28 Avocet, 10 Redshank, 24 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 1 Cetti's Warbler (North Hide).
The high tide pushed up 1100 Oystercatcher, 1500 Grey plover, 20,000 Knot and 2000 Dunlin and on the foreshore and beach were 18 Ringed Plover, 6 Turnstone and 10 Sanderling.
Also about today were 1 Eider (On the sea), 20 Skylark, 16 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, 3 Blackcap, 1 Cetti's Warbler (Mill Hill area), 2 Song Thrush, 5 Redwing, 23 Siskin (Including 13 south) and 1 Yellowhammer.
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| Female Scaup on Tennyson's Sands, 4th April 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Little Grebes carrying nest materials, 4th April 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
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| Muntjac stag, 4th April 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
Early news involved 2 freshly arrived Firecrest around Mill Hill. Then a Crane was located circling over the entrance to the reserve before drifting off. The 3 White-fronted Geese were still present on Moat Pond and the long staying female Scaup was still on Tennyson's Sands. A Brambling was on Sykes Farm track around the feeding station.
On the water bodies were 2 Pink-footed Geese, 37 Shelduck, 32 Shoveler, 9 Gadwall, 1 Wigeon, 12 Teal, 22 Tufted Duck, 12 Little Grebe, 23 Avocet, 25 Black-tailed Godwits, 27 Redshank, 1 Dunlin and 1 Spoonbill (Jackson's Marsh).
Also about today were 1 Red Kite (South over Tennyson's Sands at 11.45am), 3 Buzzard, 8 Chiffchaff and 8 Siskin.
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| Long staying female Scaup on Tennyson's Sands, 3rd April 2026 Photo - Jack Hood |
Highlight of the day was the long staying Shorelark which was still on the foreshore saltings. A Raven went inland over Mill Hill at 8.14am, with another 2 circling high over the visitor centre later on in the morning. A Red Kite went south mid morning.
A brief look at the sea revealed a drake Eider (On the sea) and a Common Scoter (North) and 1 Sandwich Tern (South) whilst on the beach were 546 Herring Gulls, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 8 Great Black-backed Gulls a Peregrine (Greenshank's Creek) and a Merlin.
On Tennyson's Sands were 28 Avocet and 15 Black-tailed Godwits. Also about were 5 Buzzards (High over Croft Marsh), 2 Redwing and 4 Siskin.
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| Merlin on the beach, 2nd April 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
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| Displaying Ringed Plover on the beach, 2nd April 2026 Photo - Mike Watts |
Conditions provided excellent visibility over the sea and shore. The morning flight of Common Scoter involved 270 moving into the Wash but otherwise, just 4 Red-throated Divers, 6 Red-breasted Mergansers and 2 Great crested Grebes.
There was virtually no visible migration other than a Sand Martin, a Brambling, 4 Snipe and a Sparrowhawk, so a good opportunity to scan through the large gulls along the beach. 2 Caspian Gulls were identified but only 6 Greater Black-backed Gulls compared to 600 Herring Gulls, also on the beach were 14 Turnstone. A Black Redstart was a new arrival on the East Dunes and may well turn up at the Visitor Centre later. A Spoonbill went south.
On the water bodies were 64 Brent Geese, 54 Shelduck, 67 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 5 Wigeon, 12 Mallard, 24 Teal, 34 Tufted Duck, 1 female Scaup (Long staying bird on Tennyson's Sands), 1 Water Rail (Fenella Hope Hide), 14 Little Grebe, 19 Avocet, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Spoonbill and 1 Cetti's Warbler.
Also about today were 2 Buzzard, 8 Chiffchaff, 3 Siskin, a male Blackcap, 2 Redwing (North) and a Peregrine. Of interest, locally the second Swallow of the year was seen today just down the road in Burgh le Marsh at an exceptionally early one reported on the 21st March at the Visitor Centre.
Over night Moth trapping in Sykes Farm resulted in 210 Moths of 19 Species. The reserves 3rd ever Dotted Chestnut (After 2 in April 2024) and a Lead-coloured Drab (About annual) were both eclipsed by a stunning, fresh Blossom Underwing, a first for the reserve!.
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| Blossom Underwing Moth, 1st April 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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| Dotted Chestnut Moth, 1st April 2026 Photo - Nige Lound |
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