Snow Bunting

Nice to have a good looking bird on the patch, well actually it happens most years when a Snow Bunting turns up at Goring Gap. Lots of reports in the twittersphere convinced me to give it a couple of coats of looking at. I parked up in the likely area around 0800, people had obviously left feed for the bird as the Crows were having a field day. No sign until a lady returning from a walk along the beach said that she had found it and showed me a cracking photo - I thanked her from a distance as I was already on  my way. I searched in the described areas but couldn't find it until another birder almost stepped on it. Like most Snow Buntings, it was extremely confiding - happy to pose in exchange for some seed or meal worms. Surprisingly,  most of the dog walkers, joggers  and even the ladies keep fit group were happy to change direction on seeing a load of photographers lying on the shingle.  To them a hearty thank you, to the woman who refused and walked straight through spooking the bird - well my words are unprintable. Why are some dog walkers so arrogant that they think the environment is for their sole use - rant over.

Four record shots of the male Black Redstart at Shoreham Fort......

....and three from last year, the Great Grey Shrike and Crossbill at Wren's Warren in the Ashdown Forest.