On a Rustic Roller

A day out birding on Friday was rudely interrupted when a European Roller turned up at Aldbrough near Spurn the previous evening. The next day started early and news soon broke that the Roller was still present so straight down to East Yorkshire to see this absolutely stunning bird. When arriving at site a Yorkshire birders explained it was perched up on its favourite perch and kept flying off to feed before returning. This is pretty much what the bird did for a while, it then decided to feed in the field and gradually got further and further away. However up until the end it was fantastic to take in and enjoy the bird, a striking plumage of brown, purply/blue and turquoise; a stunning bird that just looked so out of place. Fantastic behaviour, fantastic plumage, just fantastic to watch. Definitely another highlight of my British birding so far, here's my best of a badge bunch. No one can really do this bird justice, has to be a bird to be seen with your own eyes.

(European Roller - © Andrew Kinghorn)

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(European Roller - © Andrew Kinghorn)

After the Roller a dip on the Flamborough Icterine Warbler wasn't all bad, it turned my attentions to another bird closer to home that when I thought about it I wanted to see. After a few moments of being sensibly minded I decided to ignore my sensible side and go for the Farne Islands Rustic Bunting, 'Stringer' rang and was informed I was going and kindly booked spaces on the boat for myself and my companions. We arrived with 10 minutes to spare and were soon on the boat to the Farne Islands, a great twitch; just the fact I was leaving the mainland on a boat to go to an island that is largely inaccessible to twitch a stunning bird was rather special. When we moored up we were informed the bird had literally just flown off high west, the wardens apologised and took us to the site where it had been just incase. Almost instantly one of the birders on the boat trip spotted it and let us know in a rather excited sounded tone and after a few panic stricken people saying "where" we were all on the bird. We enjoyed stunning views of this male Rustic Bunting, a cracking rusty brick coloured plumage with arrowhead marks down the breast side and flanks, cracking head pattern and just an amazing looking bird. Given the fact it was late on in the year meant that the bird was truly in summer plumage and was a male! Was an amazing looking bird.

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(Rustic Bunting - © Andrew Kinghorn)

Two cracking birds on the same day and both twitches fairly exciting, made for a very memorable day. 

Until next time, Foghorn out!