Nethergong Birding

I made two visits to Nethergong yesterday, an early morning visit and another visit late morning when the sun was out and the temperatures had risen. I also had an early visit this morning for a few hours. Birds noted included 10 Mute Swan, 8 Pheasant, 6 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 1 Golden Plover, c300 Herring Gull, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Marsh Harrier, 11 Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 2 Raven, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Swallow, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Stonechat, 1 Wheatear, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Bullfinch and 3 Reed Bunting. When I returned yesterday afternoon, it was always on my mind to check the likely areas for Redstart and Flycatchers and this theory proved to work well for as I checked the first sunny sheltered area, I found an immature male Common Redstart (124) and a Spotted Flycatcher. Both showed well at a distance and I even had both of them in the same binocular view hunting near each other. Redstart is just about annual here but with only the odd bird being seen, they can be easily missed. After a few records shots I left them in peace and moved on. I returned an hour or so later to check on them and was surprised to see the Spotted Flycatcher has disappeared and been replaced by another Common Redstart, this time an immature / female bird. To have 2 Common Redstart on the same day here is quite something. I sat in the sun and made the most of their visit before they move on out of the area to continue their migration. 'Nocmig' recording at night continues to be very frustrating with only a Water Rail, Whimbrel and Tawny Owl heard. 

Male Common Redstart