My first Wheatear of the year

Went along to the coast at Knot End for the high tide to investigate the wader situation, in the event apart from a few Oystercatchers and Redshank it was a poor show, but on the way there I got some close views of a hunting Kestrel. Then I made my way down to Fluke Hall and from the car park could see a huge flock of Knot appearing like a black cloud in the blue virgin sky back in the direction of Fleetwood, bugger!

As I made my way back down Fluke Hall lane I noticed a lot of common species of tits feeding at the edge of a small wood, it appeared to be some sort of a feeding station, this held my attention for twenty minutes or so. I set off once more and had no sooner got going when the huge flock of Knot swarmed by the sea wall, quickly I pulled in by a gate and jumped out with my camera, but alas the action was all over, two buggers and one bloody hell! - or so I thought.

From behind the hedge I noticed two birds feeding on the furrowed ground, at first I thought that they were Chaffinch, but no, low and behold I was looking down at two male Wheatear, yes Wheatear on the 16th, I normally have to wait until I make my annual visit to Northumberland in April. I rattled a few shots off before they hopped off to far away to snap anymore. Two ladies both birdwatchers stopped to see what I was looking at, they were both delighted to get their bins on them, they told me it was their first sighting of Wheatears ever. If I hadn't have stopped neither would they and they would still be looking for their first sightings, what a wonderful chain of events.

On the way in I had bumped into my good friend Ian Latham who's companion for the day was Andy Bate, a guy I had been wanting to meet for a long time, so I went back to join them, I found Andy to be most amenable and we got on like a house on fire. I have since had one more photographic session with Andy and look forward to many more in the future.