Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve

Another walk I went on during my holiday to Skegness was down to Gibraltar Point. Starting from the Skegness Pier, I walked down the beach and across the dunes for a fair way until I reached the boundary of the reserve. The dunes themselves are recognised as a SSSI and it is a really pleasant walk. Here are a few photos from the first part of the walk.

View towards the south

Small creek

This was a bank of Sea Buckthorn, home to many rabbits which I saw on the way

Another view across the site

Reed Bunting

Kestrel hovering

 Another bird heard but unfortunately not seen was a Cuckoo. But then again, just hearing it was amazing, as it was the first Cuckoo I'd ever heard. It also made the walk that little bit more special. There were plenty of little brown birds flying about, and the Reed Buntings were more than happy to sit for a photograph at the top of a bush. The streams or creeks that crossed the site gave me chance to spy some Shelduck coming in to land, plenty more of which were seen at the reserve itself.

After about an hour and a half walking over the dunes, I finally got to the nature reserve. After some delicate stream crossing (of which resulted in me getting quite a muddy bum) the hides were reached and I got to see Avocets for the first time :-)

Welcome

Delicate footwork required

View of the creek

The reserve was full of friendly visitors who were more than happy to share their sightings with you or show you their pictures. One gentleman took a stunning picture of a dragonfly; I can only hope to be as good as that one day.

The view from the first hide we got to showed this bird; although I confess to be rubbish at identifying waders, there was no mistaking this bird:

Avocet

There were a fair few birds sitting on nests. I would love to go back later in the season to see all the chicks! Other birds I saw there included Canada Goose, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Black-Headed Gull, Mallard amongst the waders I couldn't identify. I had a long walk back to Skegness so unfortunately couldn't go around every hide. After a well-earned dinner in the cafe and a stroll around the gift shop, I went back outside to take some more pictures.

Pond

Fenland Lagoon

I walked back to Skegness along Gibraltar Road, stopping on the way at Jackson's Marsh and Tennyson's Sands.

The Plantation

View of the marsh

Tennyson's Sands

Shelduck

Got back into Skegness well into the afternoon after an amazing morning at the reserve. I really need to brush up on my wader identification skills though!

Pond in Skegness