North Linc's...

A few hours out and about today visiting two sites,Far-Ings and the local patch at Worlaby.The first few hours of the day were spent sheltering in Ness hide at Far-Ings as it absolutely peed down,but all was not lost as i got good views of a male Cetti's Warbler feeding close to the hide in an area of cut reed,these are lovely warbler's and i heard a further 2 singing males around Ness.Also observed from my shelter,was a cracking Water Rail which showed absolutely brilliantly in the open and was watched catching and killing a Common Shrew,an amazing piece of behaviour,which it carried off into the cover of the adjacent reedbed!.The only other sightings observed from here,were a single Jay watched flying along the edge of the north meadow towards the Target Lake and a nice mixed flock of Gadwall,Teal and Shoveler and a single Reed Warbler.The next site i visited was the local patch at Worlaby and it was a little bit blustery to say the least,but i managed more nice sightings,the best of which was more stunning views of a juvenile Hobby,probably the same individual as my last visit.This time i watched it perched in a Poplar plantation,calling loudly and every so often flying down to catch a Common Darter,these are fantastic raptors and are a close second to my favourite Common Buzzards.Another Hobby was seen to fly along the Wold top between Elsham and Saxby wood.The only other really notable sighting was an adult Yellow-legged Gull watched feeding and loafing on the newly ploughed field near to the car park with a mixed flock of Lesser black-backed,Herring,Common and Black-headed Gull's and it gave good views before departing with the other species as i got too close.Numbers of passerines are picking up a little,with 120 Linnet and 80 Goldfinch today and a good sized flock of 57 Meadow Pipit in the wet pasture.A single Green Sandpiper was trying it's best to hide in the Soak drain and a single juv. Marsh Harrier and 8 Common Buzzard where also recorded.A good day out in the local area.