Black Redstart on the Barleyfield

1st july 15             dawn till early                mid setion

sunny & warm,  20-28°c,  1013mb,  SE 12-9 mph

A very early start ( 04:40 ) paid off when I heard a garden warbler singing at the top of the Barleyfield, as we haven't had one sing for a few weeks now I wanted to find it. While searching I was aware of plenty of activity in the immediate area ( 2 yng greenfinch chasing around + a juv bullfinch and a chaffinch), having located the GW I began checking the other birds, when one with a rusty colour around the base of the tail came into view and quickly disappeared again. Eventually it showed again but only briefly as before,  again showing the rusty tail base, After more waiting a bird dropped down into nettles and then up onto the branches of recently felled trees lying on the ground where at last I managed a better view. Apart from the orange-red tail area it was pretty non-descript, having darkish grey back and head and lighter grey underparts, the breast was slightly spotty? There was a darker area on the forewing corresponding to the greater coverts and primaries, it had a dark eye and its bill was medium long,pointed and dark, I didn't get the leg colour. It then disappeared into the Cherry tree and was lost from view. 

              This will be first record of black redstart for at least 10 yrs.

Grey Heron	1	Wetlands
Mallard	pair	Wetlands
Buzzard	pair over	Barleyfield
Moorhen	1 brood	Wetlands
Black Headed Gull	1 >> NE over	Barleyfield. 1st returning summer bird,
Lesser Black Backed Gull	11	Compton Field
Herring Gull	1 ad	Compton Field
Swift	odds over	Barleyfield
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> N over	Compton Field
Swallow	1 over	Top Roses
Wren	14 singing	mid section
Dunnock	3 singing	mid section
Black Redstart	1 ♀ type	Doctor's clearing
Blackbird	5 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	5 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	3 singing	Barleyfield
Garden Warbler	1 singing	Top Roses
Blackcap	11 (8 singing)	mid section
Chiffchaff	6 singing	mid section
Chaffinch	2 ( 1 singing )	mid section
Greenfinch	1 singing	2 juv Top Roses,  + 1 singing + 4 flying around,
Goldfinch	1 singing	Top Roses
Bullfinch	1 juv Top Roses,  1♂  Top Roses  flew to  Barleyfield Annex,  pair Paddock,