03/11/2014 Lapland Bunting - another "twitch", this time in Kent

Monday 3rd November 2014
Swalecliffe, Kent


Got a call from Alastair asking if I was up for some birding today.  Within the hour we were on our way to the North Kent coast to attempt a "twitch" of the Lapland Bunting that had been showing at Swalecliffe for the last couple of days.  The weather forecast for the day was awful but there was a time lot between 12.00 and 15.00 where we might get our chance to see this rare bird.

• The plan worked brilliantly - the weather held off and at 13.30 we saw the star bird right there in front of us just a few metres away.  All we had to do was to sit back and enjoy the show as the Lapland Bunting went about it's business. 

Lapland Bunting
courtesy of Alastair Gray



Lapland Bunting
courtesy of Alastair Gray

• What a great bird, especially around the head with it's contrasting bands.  Yet another "lifer" for me and to see it today of all days was a real bonus.

• On the way back to the car we spotted a beautiful male Black Redstart in the churchyard to add to our great day out. 



Black Redstart (male)
courtesy of Alastair Gray



• Hundreds of Starlings adorned the sky as we reached the car to give the feeling that, here today, this was a truly special place.   

The Lapland Bunting breeds across Arctic Europe and Asia and in Canada and the northernmost USA. It is migratory, wintering in the Russian steppes, the southern USA, Northern Scandinavian arctic areas and down to coastal Southern Sweden, Denmark and Great Britain. This is the only Eurasian species of the longspur buntings, and while it probably did not evolve there, it has been present in Eastern Europe for at least about 30,000 years.





Addition to UK 2014 Bird List:
Lapland Bunting   (271)


Addition to UK Birds Life List:
Lapland Bunting   (283)

Thanks Alastair - I owe you!