Chat Snaps

I was leaving the Billinge ringing site after another productive ringing session this morning when I noticed a Stonechat by the track. I stopped the car to have a look at it and then quickly realised there were another 2 along the overgrown fence line. As I was watching them more Stonechats appeared from the other side of the bracken and brambles and I soon had 6 in front of me. I had checked that area earlier and hadn't seen any so it seems likely that these birds were migrating together and had dropped in at some point during the morning. I watched them for a while and they were feeding almost continuously; it was warm and sunny by then and they were fly catching a lot of the time but they also took insects from the ground. I phoned a local birder, Chris D, to let him know they were there as it is probably a record number for the site and then made my way home.

Chris text me in the afternoon to say they were still there and that he had counted 7 so I went back with the camera to see if I could get a few shots. When I arrived they were all in the same place and still feeding very actively. The following snaps are the best I could do.

Spot the Stonechats, There are 3 in this photograph

. A ringing update will follow in the next day or two.