Saturday 11 November 2017

Little Bunting (but no photos)

I finally cleared a major blockage today. Little Bunting has long been on my most wanted list and every autumn I manage not to see any. Little Bunting is one of the reasons I tend not to twitch as my dip rate is 100% with this bird (last attempt being one missed at Nafcha a couple of weeks ago). Today though the gods of migration smiled on me. Wife, dog and I set off for our Saturday morning 10 km and as we passed 1 km I saw a passerine up on the electricity wires. As soon as I looked at it through binoculars and checked out the small size, pink legs, distinct dark streaks on its flanks, rufous cheek and grey bill I thought 'Little Bunting'. And then it called, and ID confirmed!

The bird flew off into the field and I ran back to the house to get my camera (our Saturdays walks have been so empty of birds recently that I've stopped carrying it) but by my return the bird had gone. A fruitless search followed along with vows to always, always carry a camera. I'll return to the spot this evening to see if it returns. . . .

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