LAPLAND BUNTING delight

WEDNESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER

After the shenanigans of yesterday in Sussex attempting to sort out a mega-rare stint at 600 yards range, today was at the opposite end of the spectrum...........

Although migrating House Martins were very much the order of the day, it was an extremely confiding LAPLAND BUNTING that stole the show

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (HERTFORDSHIRE)

During the course of the morning, over 240 House Martins moved through south, often in large congregations. At the 'Magic Roundabout', the ringed adult female PEREGRINE was roosting on its favoured perch (its third winter at the site)

FARMOOR RESERVOIR (OXFORDSHIRE)

Just arriving before Adam Hartley, I followed the footpath from the car park and ventured out on to the central causeway. The juvenile LAPLAND BUNTING that has been present for nearly the best part of a week was still surviving on the bank of Farmoor II, eeking out a living on the spartan vegetation growing out of the breaks in the concrete. It was favouring a patch just 40 yards beyond the two huts and was remarkably approachable. It carried on feeding as I stood literally just feet from it on the causeway and as I sat down, it gradually wandered closer to just within a few inches. It was ludicrously tame - totally unaware of the dangers. It was presumably relying on its camouflage - and at times, one could easily walk right past it (as I did initially). It was a cracking experience