20/12/2017 Undisclosed Site

Black Redstart: This week I found a black redstart during a survey in the midlands. I watched the bird for a long while finding mostly the live food they need in the micro-climates formed in the many sheltered gardens, balconies and roof valleys to be found in the town, where they are in the habit of running like wagtails (they also hop) and feeding (usually unnoticed) under lines of parked cars, often in the busy streets.

I watched as it spent its day busily picking food items from  the gable walls of houses, often hovering under guttering or facia boards, and fly-catching from favourite perches, usually near lawns, were they can take prey from the ground, always returning quickly to the favourite lookout, their fiery tails giving a welcome flash of exotic colour to otherwise drab winter streets.




A great bird to find during a grey drizzly day and a perfect bird to brighten up a typically dull survey.

10/12/1027 Heysham

Chough:  Good to catch up with this little gem that has been in the same horse paddock  off the headland at Heysham for a few weeks now.

The bird is known to show pretty well however when Dawn and I arrived it was foraging right at the back  of the paddock.

It came a little closer with some patience, but the sub zero temperatures got the better of us and I made do with some record shots.