Black Stork, Frampton Marsh RSPB

Black Stork has been on my wish list ever since I started traveling further afield than my local patch. There have been many sightings, but the vast majority have been flyovers and very few had been nailed down to a particular site leaving very little opportunity to connect with any of them.

On the 7th of August, a juvenile was reported in East Yorkshire, Reports continued to come in during the next two days but nearly all were flyovers and it being over 4 hours from home I just dismissed it as another missed opportunity to connect with this species. Early evening on the 12th of August it moved into Lincolnshire and for the next couple of days seemed to be spending its time travelling between Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore Reserves. 

Brian was away on a short break with his grandson, and not due back until the 16th, Thinking the bird would be long gone before his return I dismissed it as another one that got away. Unbelievably it was still being reported at Frampton on the 17th. There had been a couple of positive reports early morning and this was enough for Brian to offer to take me. We set off at 10.30am and arrived around 1pm, only to receive negative news from the reserve staff. We decided to take the footpath south and search the area of the last reports. As we emerged from the avenue of trees, we picked up the Stork high in the air circling above a pylon. It was distant but it was a Black Stork and it was on my list! 

We continued walking along the cross-bank to the sea wall and managed to relocate the Stork in a distant field. It soon took flight again but this time landed on farmland near the reservoir. We enjoyed great scope views before the local farmer started calling his cows in and the stork again took flight and this time landed out of view.

Black Stork

 

We searched for the Pacific Golden Plover on the walk back to the car park but failed to locate it on the saltmarsh. I did however manage to add Little Stint to my year list before reaching the car park.

Storm clouds gathering

Although a short visit, I had finally added Black Stork to my life list, which currently stands at 398 with the Fluke Hall Eastern Black-eared Wheatear from 2019 still to be accepted/rejected.