Eastern Black Redstart

Today I went a-twitching arriving at Palm Bay at 7.30am. I must admit with the clear night I was half expecting the eastern black redstart, which was first reported on Friday, to have disappeared.  Anyway on arrival I could see a couple of guys peering through scopes at something and when I arrived it was hopping around the tables outside the jet ski centre.

Almost immediately it went up onto the roof so it was out with the camera for some record shots...just in case it disappeared.

I needn’t have worried and within the hour there were about 20 birders present and an impressive array of photographic gear. Whilst the bird did go up onto the cliff face to rest on a couple of occasions most of the time it was in full view and it was  just a matter of deciding whether to follow it with the camera or to stand near to where it was known to feed and wait for it to come to you. I did both getting got shots from either approach.

This shot was from the follow the bird technique the bird remaining on the hand rail of the slipway for several minutes.

On the other hand we were chatting and watching the bird when it landed close by and allowed this shot.

This picture caught the bird at the point of flapping and shows the underwing - I didn't know they were orange under there as well but then again there are very few birds where I know the underwing.

Also around were a couple of standard black redstarts but these proved more elusive than the immigrant – the best place to get pictures being the roof of the jet ski centre.

 Normal Black Redstart

Several rock pipits spent most of the morning searching through the sea weed and these are a lot more tolerant of people than those we get at Kingsdown though in truth I didn’t spend much time on them. The colour ringed rock pipit yellow ring with black  APH is still around.

Rock pipit