More Goodies!

Early on Thursday 29th April, I had a look at the old rail track at Corton and I immediately heard 2 Lesser Whitethroats, near the start by the bridge. There was no sign of the Wood Warbler at the copse, walking back I heard the Lesser Whitethroat again and I picked it up as it worked its way through a tree, it then flew across the track into a bush. 

Parking at the church, walking down the road I noticed an excellent male Ring Ouzel feeding near the rock laden incision in the field. Foundations for a track or building? It later flew east and over to the shelter belt when a bus drove by.

Mid- afternoon on Thursday, taking more TOIL from work, saw me down the Winterton valley, around 200 yards south of Hermaness. Immediately, I spotted a male Whinchat perched on a small tussock of heather and a female Wheatear nearby. Meeting Baz H and Dave H, we still hadn't found our quarry until Baz spotted it and looking in the mid part of the dunes, the excellent Woodchat Shrike perched on top of a small tree. It flew and then I walked down very carefully to the mid dunes where I saw it much closer but another birder flushed it. In a small bush just a few yards away, a female Ring Ouzel tried to hide but tantalizingly flew before I could photograph it as the aforementioned birder walked towards it yelling out "Ring Ouzel!" As she flew she was joined by a male Ring Ouzel and the 2 Ring Ouzels perched on top of a distant bush. They finally flew towards us and then flew south down the valley. Meanwhile the Woodchat Shrike was seen much closer and walking around a bush near the main path it was perched just 30 yards away and I managed to get a few shots before it flew down the the middle of the valley again. It perched on top of a tree and then flew down and caught a bumblebee and promptly gulped it down.