Little Bunting

Thursday found us at Old Lodge looking for the Little Bunting amongst a mobile Reed Bunting flock. Their movements from reeds and grass to tree perches left little time for a sighting so I resorted to snapping every bird that perched long enough to be captured. Several birders claimed to have seen the bird but I wasn't sure until I got home and downloaded the photographs. Sure enough I had several frames that confirmed the sighting. Unfortunately Martin hadn't seen or photographed the bird so we returned for another go today. Sadly I have to report that we had no confirmed sighting - another visit is in order.

 

 Nice to see and hear several Woodlarks singing and displaying above us. At Old Lodge it is guaranteed that during some stage of the day they will come and perch on the overhead cables. A shame that it was definitely a case of "Singing in the Rain".

Rye and Old Lodge

A repeat of my normal routine, Rye in the morning followed by Old Lodge in the afternoon. With a clear blue sky I was looking forward to the visit to Rye, As sometimes happens things didn't live up to expectations. Whilst the Black-headed Gulls, Mediterranean Gulls and Sandwich Terns have nested and chicks are hatching the Common Terns are sadly missing, just a few dotted here and there, nothing like the numbers of last year.  On the way to Ternery pool I spotted four Avocets - 2 pairs I guess. One pair must be in the Synchronised Wading event at the Olympics, as everything they did  was perfectly together. There were plenty of Terns flying in from the sea but a visit to the beach showed only a few fishing near in. A Skylark politely posed for me, as did a Cuckoo but both were up sun of me giving less than optimal photos. A fleeting visit from a Peregrine set the terns aloft but apart from that there was little to get the pulse going. So, after a cup of tea, I made my way to Old Lodge in the Ashdown Forest. 

Cuckoo

Skylark

Synchronicity

I have a distinct feeling that the message had got through that I was coming  and everything must have gone into hiding, just a few Stonechats, an obliging Woodlark, and not a sign of a Redstart.

Woodlark

Ubiquitous Stonechat on gorse

Old Lodge

Old Lodge on a cold and frosty morning - I think the low temperatures had everyone subdued as there were few birds or people about when I arrived. A large flock of Linnets were feeding under the trees where the ground was free of frost, obviously the pine cones are still a source of food. The Chaffinches were doing the same but not in flocks- just pairs. The usual Lesser Redpolls were in the birch trees above the car park and a flock of Siskins were moving noisily through the trees

Linnets

Chaffinch in Heaven

Linnets

As the temperature rose and the sun thawed out the landscape then the Woodlarks came out as did the Stonechats, one pair were happy to come close and totally ignored me. Plenty of small birds about and every clump of pines had feeding Goldcrests and Blue Tits

  

Stonechat



Stonechat

Stonechat

Stonechat

Woodlark



Woodlark

Just as I was unshipping the camera from the tripod an obliging Goldcrest visited the tree above me - it was too close and I couldn't get focus until it moved away. Normally you strugggle to get close enough!.

Goldcrest