Pied Wheatear at Seaford

It's been a busy couple of weeks but I found myself free on Friday morning so asked Jim if he'd like me to take him down to Seaford as he still needed Pied Wheatear for a life tick and of course he wanted to try.

We set off at 5am to miss some of the commute traffic and this helped make the 100 mile trip in less than two hours. We parked up at the far end of the esplanade and searched for the parking meter which to my shock didn't exist as this was a very rare free parking zone. Amazing you could leave your car sitting still in the road and didn't have to give anybody money to do it, what's the world coming to.

The old hotel at Seaford

From the car park we could see the brick ruins of the old hotel and walked up to search for the Wheatear hoping it had remained and within a few minutes the first sighting was reported by another of the four of us searching for it. We quickly got on it to give Jim his eighth life tick of the year and me my 249th year tick. The bird remained mobile but never left the area of the ruin although it would hide for periods and would rarely sit still out in the open.

Two Black Redstarts were also present with the female "type" showing really well walking around our feet at times. Lot's of Meadow Pipit and a couple of Rock Pipit were busy feeding in the grassy areas too. 

Buzzard

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Rock Pipit

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

The old hotel

Year list now 249

Lapland Bunting at Staines reservoir

It's been a sad and difficult few days with the sad passing of my mother in law Tuesday morning following a long struggle with dimentia but I had a few hours spare this afternoon so decided I'd run around the M25 and try to see the Lapland Bunting at Staines in order to lift my spirits a bit.

I parked and walked up the ramp leading to the east of the causeway and quickly discovered three birders enjoying the very showy confiding Lapland Bunting. I joined them and one of the guys laid his coat on the ground for me to use in order to get some low profile shots. A jogger came up the ramp but on hearing about the bird agreed to take a different route so as not to disturb it proving that there are still some good people.

The bird entertained us all in the murky dark dank conditions but with high ISO and a bit of compensation I was able to grab a few pleasing shots of this new bird for my London list. 

Year list 248

London recording area list 241