Black Redstart

A Black Redstart, as Dick - one of my readers will tell you, has been my bogey bird for some time, always seen at a distance and no decent photographs obtained. Today I was determined to resolve that.  As Martin and I had decided that it was time to do some local birding, we visited Telscombe Cliffs, where a handsome bird had been reported on SOS. We scoured the area around the water works without success, there were several nice Rock Pipits present and a good looking male Wheatear, obviously fresh in, posed on top of the cliff. The two Peregrines gave us flybys but try as we might - no Black Redstart.

As a fallback we made our way to Seaford  Church where a BR has resided for several weeks but again nothing to be seen, no consolation that passers-by informed us that the bird was about last week. Excitement as we spotted a fresh in Chiffchaff foraging in the bushes next to the pub, at one stage finding the most enormous green caterpillar, but no Redstart. Abandoning the search we made our way to Newhaven West Beach in the hope of finding something exotic, fresh in from a channel crossing - all was very quiet.

Fortuitously we met Paul a local birder who had just been to Telscombe and photographed the Redstart. With precise details and locations we revisited the cliffs on our way home. Thanks to Paul for the spot on information and to another local birder who demonstrated how to get a clear shot - the bricks were ideal.

 

On home via the Ferring Gull roost, which was sparsely occupied and the Durrington Lloyds Registry building where, one day, Martin will see a local Peregrine - guaranteed