Bad birdwatching

Bit of a hectic weekend with webs moved to Saturday due to family commitments on Sunday which meant no Black headed Wagtail for me although I took consolation on Monday lunchtime with my first Yellow Wag of the year at Whittle Dene.

At Prestwick Carr things have been quiet as there is no Airport noise.......heaven, just like Christmas morning every day with all calling birds clearly audible although there are still quite a few missing. Nevertheless, two found and missed one which isn't too bad although it could have been the other way around. AF and I scanned the flash water north of Mayfair Cottage on Friday and dismissed two birds in the distance as Redshank only to be advised by JL and another on our return that one of them was a Ruff. Anxious searching re found the bird so No 89 was ticked but a Common Sandpiper has apparently evaded my attentions.

ACo found the returning breeding male Redstart singing above the nest site on Saturday morning so I was out early on Monday to try to do the same. Grasshopper Warbler, Willow Warbler and displaying Snipe kept me amused till a chuck chucking from a copse away to the west alerted me to some lingering Fieldfare. Crossed the field to get a count and eight birds dropped into the hedge with the bonus of the Redstart, No.90, singing in the tree above. The bird was flighty and I couldn't get a decent view so......last night back again and crept up the lane setting up quietly to the side of a gate behind the hedge to scan the area but no sign. I sighed and leant on the gate only to flush the target bird from the hedge just twenty feet to my right. Bugger.....off it flew into a small bush giving me just enough time to get the white over black and red chest before it disappeared into the undergrowth. Not so showy without his female for encouragement!