Parking details changed again on 24/3/26 as Anglian Water are working on the site. See Calendar for details

Spring News
Extensive winter preparations across our wildlands are bearing fruit as the seasons change. A particularly notable example being last week’s release of beavers at Boothby Wildland. Our new residents got straight to work and evidence of their arrival (nibbling) was visible the very next morning. Huge congratulations to the Boothby team, the volunteers and our very many collaborators, who have worked so hard to prepare for this special moment. Full details and footage can be found below.

At Harold’s Park Wildland, the diggers have been hard at work creating new ‘rough & loose’ areas - a Nattergal ecological kick-starter driving ‘pit & mound’ ecology. This is a natural process that is usually created by windblown trees in a storm-ravaged woodland. The new ‘moonscapes’ are certainly something to behold, delivering long-disappeared and exciting new habitats for a wide range of species.

Meanwhile, at High Fen Wildland, water is returning. And, best of all, it’s staying! The man-made bund that winds its way across the landscape appears to be doing its job - holding back water that had previously leaked away as the water levels drop across the rest of the Fens. A full year-on-year visual comparison will be collected using the drone in May.
Finally, news of a very exciting partnership that will encourage more young people to visit each of our wildlands and engage with Nature. As you’ll read below, we couldn’t be more thrilled to announce our collaboration with Scouts UK.
As ever, there is plenty to share and we hope you enjoy this edition. Thank you for your continued support.

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Mike Alibone, the Optics Editor for Birdwatch magazine will be giving a talk about bird photography, including techniques both taking the picture and post shot processing, to help improve your bird photographs. Get the best results from your camera, digi/phone-scoping. See you on 13th May 2026, further details on the Events tab.

We have agreed with the Langdyke Countryside Trust to promote each others events. They put on a number of interesting events during the year based around nature and the John Clare countryside, ranging from archaeology to art as well as the more pure nature events. Details can be found by clicking Events – Langdyke Countryside Trust or going to their website. 

Details of the Padley Gorge and Cutthroat Bridge trip to Derbyshire on 16th May 2027 has been added to the Calendar tab. This should allow us to see a number of species we don't usually see like Wood Warbler, Common Redstart, Red Grouse, Ring Ouzel, and Whinchat.

 A very tough walk round Deeping Lakes this morning, a strengthening, cold Easterly wind made for hard work. 9 members in total. Bittern flying across East Pit as we were getting ready to set off was a real treat. After much searching one Long Eared Owl was located in the Ivy covered tree next to the hide. Alas no sign of either of the Little Owls. The 3 Glossy Ibis dropped into the flood after most members had retreated off the river bank. The female Scaup was still present on the East Pit. The resident female Marsh Harrier flew off to hunt as we were arriving. Finally a very showy Sparrowhawk perched next to one of the East Pit sight screens as Stuart, the last one to leave, drove past.

Complete Trip List from Deeping Lakes

Scaup

Tufted duck

Little Grebe

Great crested grebe

Shovelor

Gadwall

Mallard

Coot

Moorhen

Cettis warbler

Fieldfare

Redwing

Robin

Bittern

Canada goose

Greylag goose

Jackdaw

Rook

Green woodpecker

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Long eared owl

Cormorant

Goldeneye

Marsh harrier

Kestrel

Starling

Pochard

Oystercatcher

Buzzard

Whooper swan

Reed Bunting

Goldfinch

Blackbird

Wigeon

Black headed gull

Common gull

Wren

Long tailed tit

Little egret

Grey wagtail

Blue tit

Pied wagtail

Mute swan

Wood pigeon

Sparrowhawk

Having reviewed all the possible sites Stewart and I have decided to stay with LWT Willow Tree Fen. This holds the best Roost Watch and currantly  holds a wide variety of species, some present in large numbers.

On Sundays roost count species seen included:

35 Cranes

700+ Whooper Swans

Snow Goose (basically roosts wherever the group of Whoopers it has attached itself to decide to roost}

Barn Owl

Red breasted Merganser

30 Marsh Harriers

Golden Plover,

Goosander

Buzzard, 

Raven

Bittern

Wigeon (loads)

Pochard

Teal

Shoveler

So we have a good chance of seeing some good birds.

 

As it is staying light later I would suggest arriving between 1500 and 1530. Depending on the weather the roost watch will finish between 1730 and 1800.

 

Looking forward to seeing you next week.

Although we have a large number of people taking advantage of this opportunity and the end date has passed, we may still be able to get some tickets. Please contact Stuart on sshortassoc@gmail.com.

We propose to start the 2026/7 outdoor season of meetings by joining the RSPB Wash Cruise from Boston on the
19th September at 08:45 and returns about 14:20.

This is a 5 hour cruise on the Boston Belle from Boston down the River Witham past Frampton Marsh and into the Wash. The boat the heads for the mouth of the River Welland and procedes down the Welland to the marina. It then reverses its course to return to Boston. Refreshments are available on board, hot and cold drinks and bacon butties but cash only. 

There are always at least 2 bird spotter/callers from the RSPB South Lincs group on board to ensure everybody gets to see the birds.
Price is £24 for members of the RSPB and £30 for non-members. 

These trips are very popular and sell out quickly. Therefore we need firm expressions of interest from members by 15th March to sshortassoc@gmail.com together with Payment to the Clubs Account. We will then go ahead and purchase the tickets.

When we left the Peterborough area it was misty and raining, but after a while at Titchwell it turned into a good day.

The group of 18 were treated to a very showy Firecrest – a bird you don’t often see at Titchwell. We searched the ditch by the footpath for a Water Rail and, thanks to Kevin Gray and his thermal imaging, we located the bird, although I don’t think everyone managed to catch sight of it. We had another Water Rail later by the tidal marsh, where it ran past Keith on the path.

We went along the Fen Trail and everyone had good views of a Tawny Owl sitting in the ivy. We couldn’t find the Woodcock at the time, but Ian Gordon and Trish stayed on and eventually saw the bird.

We continued to Patsy’s Pool where there was a distant Marsh Harrier, and on returning to the main track we saw three more.

On the freshwater pool there was a good variety of birds, including geese, ducks, Lapwings and Golden Plover.

We then went to the beach. With the tide low, we walked out towards the rocks where there were a number of waders. Ian Humphries was the lucky one to spot a Purple Sandpiper. On the sea, close inshore, was a Great Northern Diver, with good numbers of Red-breasted Mergansers further along.

We headed back for lunch, with some having brought their own and others visiting the café.

At around 2pm we travelled to Roydon Common, which is on the way home, for the raptor roost. Here we saw a number of Red Kites, followed by a ringtail Hen Harrier flying into view and then settling for all to see. Several Marsh Harriers were also flying around, ready to come into roost. We then found a male Hen Harrier hunkered down in the grass—only its head visible—but for the last two men standing it gave a superb display.

All in all, it had been a very good day, with 68 species seen by the group.