Our Cup Runneth Over - Part 2

 and what is effectively the second, and final, part of Friday's meanderings!

Even before removing the padlock from the gate to the Heath it could be seen that there were far more birds in evidence on Friday than is the norm! A flock of foraging Long-tailed Tits in the Alder Buchthorn immediately, calls of both of the larger Woodpeckers, 2 or 3 acorn carrying Jays and who knows how many Blackbirds, but this was just the start.

It was impossible to tell whether

DARTFORD WARBLER (left) or STONECHAT
were most numerous as usually the preserve of the latter, but on the day honours were surely even? These were made up of mostly 'juvenile birds' all seeming able to fend for themselves but            mum and dad still very much in attendance. Of the 

STONECHATs 

it was considered there were

maybe as many as

with a juicy and doubtless tasty Grasshopper of sorts.

5 to 6 dozen

numbers that we have never seen the likes of before, while turning to the

DARTFORDs

numbers could easily have neen the same

but then far more skulking!

The DART-CHAT FEST 

came to a halt once recaching the hard standing where at first there was but

a single

RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE

then c2

and eventually all c3 gathering to pose within the viewfinder.

and started something of a kerfuffle!

Mounting the Trusty Steed to return to barracks, en-route there was a bird that looked unlike any of the others as above, and then a second. A little flighty and seemingly reluctent to land, one eventually

did

showing them both to be

 

WRYNECK

a species of

WOODPECKER

from mainland Europe! These formed the second and third ever for our Recording Area the first having been found on the 16th September 2017. We have added all of the images that it would allow because of the enormity of the find!

This is the 

September 17th Bird.