I may be mad but I think we saw a pair of Ortolan this afternoon as we
were walking on the coastal path between Clarach and Wallog. It
certainly seemed to be something unusual or out of the ordinary.
Time: approx 16:00h
Grid ref: SN 5875 8500
Weather: fine; light easterly breeze; visibility good.
Habitat: coastal scrub and long grasses.
Location: on the seaward side of the path.
Behaviour: flitting in and out of view in the long grasses and low
bushes; perching briefly in view in grass tops or twigs.
My notes made at the time say:
.......................
Grey head
Chestnut back
Black and white tail feathers
biege-buff front
yellowish face/breast
Ortolan? Cirl Bunting? (Linnet??)
2 (i.e. a pair seen)
................................
Checking in my (very old) bird book at home, the helmet-like grey head
of the male Ortolan illustrated in the book is just the image of what I
saw in my binoculars earlier this afternoon.
Other species: we had already seen stonechat, whitethroat as we walked
south from Wallog. We also saw a wheatear with young on Wallog beach,
nesting in a hole right at the bottom of the beachside wall. Also
meadow pipit. Oyster catcher were lively at Wallog and below the
coastal path.
I would be interested in what you think. Is this possible? My book says
passage migrant.
Thanks,
Phil
Phil Colbourn,
Bow Street