Wheatear saves the day

Last Sunday, we went to Church Norton. Some good migrants have been turning up there in the last couple of weeks, including wheatear, whinchat, pied flycatcher and even a wryneck. Unfortunately it was very windy so any small birds that might have been around were all hiding - I only saw one chiffchaff. While watching a lot of swallows, I missed a sandwich tern that was flying right above my head (would have been a first for me!) - I saw a photo of it later that my partner took who was stood next to me. Oh well, a great start! Was this going to be another frustrating day? A trip to Seaford Head and Pulborough Brooks last Wednesday had been fruitless - I saw no migrants at all apart from two VERY distant wheatears.

On the beach, there were a few turnstones, curlews and oystercatchers - they were not willing to pose for a few photos. Great. And SO windy! Makes it VERY hard to handhold a heavy camera and lens!

When I was just about to give up, I scanned the beach for about 5 more minutes - and finally, there was some movement. A lone first-winter wheatear!

So the next few hours were spent trying to get closer to it without chasing it. It seemed to be getting used to me after a while, and I ended up just standing in the same place for a long time, after finding out which spots it preferred for feeding. And it eventually came to me, sheltering from the wind nearby, looking at me. The best shots I got when it was feeding behind the sea defences. I tried to duck & hide - it would only have seen my lens. It was SO cute - when it heard the clicking noise it came running (!) right up to me - it was only about 2 metres away from me - looking at me as if to say 'What ARE you doing there, silly - I do know you are there! Go on then, take a few shots.' :) Made my day!


Who are you?

For more photos of this wheatear and others, click here: Wheatear photos

It is starting...

...to get a bit frustrating now. There are wheatear sightings all over the place (including the places we visit on a regular basis) but we still haven't seen one. For the 6th time now we went to where one or more had been seen and dipped. Yesterday, 11 (!) wheatears were seen between Goring Gap and Ferring...so we went today and...nothing. And then I get home and read about wheatears seen at Pagham and even Pulborough Brooks today. Also, a male black redstart, a bird I have been wanting to see for ages, had spent a few days at Ferring Rife...but of course had left by the time we arrived today.

Birding can be really frustrating at times...and the few photos I did take today I can't access now because my stupid card reader has packed up - who knows, it might even have damaged the card. *GRRRRRRR*

On a positive note, I saw my first swallow of the year today and also dunlin, sanderling, grey plover, oystercatcher, little egret and green woodpecker.