A Misty Walk Along Sandilands

After a week of high winds and rain, I have been tucked away in the studio whittling, and there is no point in getting drenched while birdwatching. But today the sun finally showed its face, so I set off for a walk. Instead of heading straight through the Sandilands Nature Reserve, I wandered along the seafront toward Huttoft.

The sea had that calm, misty look about it, and just as I glanced over the gorse toward the reserve, a loud crash of a wave pulled my eyes back again. That’s what I love about this stretch, beauty on both sides, whichever way you look.

Paths, Gorse, and Stonechats

From the Sandilands car park, the path leads up onto the front and toward Huttoft. There are signposts and steps down into the reserve,

and in places you can look over reeds and gorse bushes. There are plenty of gulls and crows, but if you are lucky, you’ll spot a stonechat. Look right, and you may see a bird darting along the gorse, and chances are it’s them. Approach slowly, and you might be surprised how close you can get to them. Their colours are stunning.

A Snow Bunting Rumour

Two people with a dog stopped me, binoculars in hand. “Seen anything?” they asked. Not much, I admitted. They mentioned a rumour of a snow bunting sighting along here. That made me smile because I had seen a bird weeks earlier that I was convinced was a snow bunting. So, if you are visiting, keep your eyes peeled.

Coffee, Complaints, and Confusion.

At the reserve gates, outside the coffee shop (a lovely spot for a drink before your walk), the water levels were noticeably higher. A good sign. Though the other day, someone told me that they had driven an hour and a half after checking the National Trust website, which painted a picture of ponds brimming with water, owls flying overhead, and the coast’s best birdwatching spot.

Read more about the National Trust vision.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/sandilands/sandilands-project

The reality? It was once a well known golf course, then left for two years by the National Trust, and nature reclaimed it with wildlife, wildflowers, and birdlife, and it became a fantastic wild haven. I can remember a time walking on an afternoon and an owl flying over our heads, but not now. The National Trust then, in their wisdom, decided to improve it by digging it all up and adding man made paths, ponds, wooden platforms, barbed wire fencing, etc., and all the locals, returning visitors were devastated, and many even refuse to walk it.

Well, let's look on the bright side and carry on our Sandilands walk.

“Are You the Warden?”

One gentleman insisted I write a complaint. “Why me?” I asked. “Because you are the warden, aren’t you?”  I had to explain: no, I’m the Bird Whittler, just here for inspiration and birdwatching. He apologised, and we had a laugh. For anyone else, if you want to comment or complain, look out for the National Trust rangers in red. Good luck finding them!

Quiet Moments and Flying Flocks

Around the Huttoft bird hide, I spotted goldfinches overhead, magpies flitting about, and most noticeable of all, silence: no bird song, just stillness, but I expect some would say it is winter. In the distance, a flock of Canada geese circled before landing in a field over the Roman Bank Road.

Walking further down the path, you approach an area that has had no water at all, but you can see from the image below that water is beginning to fill.

Here you see the wooded staging as you continue along the path, and some weeks ago, there were Curlews feeding here and on the other side, so it is worth approaching quietly, but avoid doing that on the path because it's not suitable underfoot for the noise factor.

Further along, you see the new ranger’s building (apparently destined to house equipment and one full-time ranger), and you may find a few lone pied wagtails bobbing about.

Climbing the incline toward the sea, you can sit on the wall and take in the sea view.

Stonechats and a New Café

Approaching the car park, just before the beach huts, I scanned the bushes. Stonechats sometimes linger there, though there are no guarantees. Then, the old golf club building now comes into view, or as the National Trust now calls it, “Exciting progress on Sandilands’ new café.”

So there you have it: a walk along the seafront and around Sandilands Nature Reserve. Back home now, and heading to the whittling studio, this has been my take on how much water there is at Sandilands Nature Reserve, with images to prove it. If you are planning a trip, check before you travel or drop me an email, and I will let you know what the water levels are like and if there are any other wildlife updates.

Thanks for reading, The Bird Whittler