Beer Head

This morning I went to have a look around on Beer Head for only the second time this August, which makes me look a teensy bit capricious ( ;-)) having been foolish enough to announce to anyone who'd listen that I'd be up on Beer Head every day this August to be sure not to miss another Ortolan Bunting. If I do miss another it will serve me jolly well right, wont it?!! Anyway, this morning there were enough migrants about to make me pleased that I'd made the effort. Loads of Willow Warblers ( I counted at least 20 and didn't get to the Under Hooken area), 2 Spotted Flycatchers ( a very belated patch tick for me this year), 5 Wheatears, a very confiding (for a change) male Redstart,  a couple of Whitethroats and Blackcaps and a large flock of Long-tailed Tits (not at all common on Beer Head in my experience). Ian M had 3 Yellow Wagtails amongst the cattle in 'The Dell' but by the time I got there they had moved on. Not long after leaving here I was on my way over to Colyford Common where Ian M had found a Ruff. When I arrived it was on the scrape with a few Common Sandpipers and a Redshank too distant for photos unfortunately. Two Greenshanks landed on the small scape all too briefly before flying off northward. I didn't have time to check Black Hole Marsh as well. Hope that wasn't a mistake! If I hadn't got to go to work in a couple of hours I'd be at Radipole Lake now, twitching an Aquatic Warbler, if you can imagine such a thing! Not an Aquatic Warbler but ME TWITCHING!! I mean, as if.

The Confiding Redstart

 Still striking even in his drabber autumn plumage.