Martlets and Mavericks; adventures from Sussex birders! : Pied Wagtail

Wick Bottom

Being unable to raise myself out of bed early this morning I decided nonetheless to check out one of my local patches, Wick Bottom (immediately east of Sheepcote valley for those that don't know). Started well with 6 Stonechat all within a few metres of each other; a while since I've seen that many together. Clearly stuff was passing - though it seemed slow compared to yday, when I'd logged c250 Swallows & c600 House Martins in little over an hour over Sheepcote, along with a flock of 23 Jays ! Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Siskins and Pied Wags were all moving in small nos; the only Jay flock consisted of 7 NE, but a large Jackdaw gathering must have numbered c200 (near Roedean). A lone Brambling flew west, calling and 5 Yellowhammer was a good count for the area. What I decided must've been a Kestrel (Merlin was a brief poss) flew straight at me carrying a small mammal in it's talons before disappearing from view. Then the highlight of the day (and the weekend come to that) was a Short-eared Owl right in front of me, being harrassed by Jackdaws; it flew above my head (about 10 m away) and looked just stunning with that beautiful azure blue October sky behind it. It gradually gained height before moving off south. Then a moment later another SEO popped out and put on a similar performance. Fantastic birds.

RED-RUMPED SWALLOW- FINDER'S ACCOUNT

it was 08:08 this morning, when a flock of four hirundines flew past me on my circuit of Hope Gap, heading NE. Three were House Martins, but when I got on the back bird I knew it had to be something different. It was, to be quite frank, one of the briefest views I have ever had of a hirundine, but despite thinking over every other alternative, making myself doubt my identity, and not quite believing my initial ID, I can't think of anything this bird could have been other than a RED-RUMPED SWALLOW.

As I first got on it, I noticed the pale rump, ruling out Swallow or Sand Martin. My immediate impression from shape was that is lacked the short, forked tail of a House Martin, and it had long, elegant shape and long tail streamers of a hirundo species, and appeared even longer-tailed than a Swallow. The birds uppersides had a distinctive colouration, not as dark and navy-blue as the House Martin's it accompanied, more light blue-ish black in colour, and not as deep blue and glossy as the uppersides of a Swallow. But before I could see any more detail it was flying away from me, and all I could see was the back view. However, the flight was immediately reminiscent of the hundreds I saw in Bulgaria a month ago. It had wingbeats that were deep but also sharp, giving the impression that the bird was flicking it's wings with every beat, and it was less 'fluttery' than the House Martins it accompanied. This was interspersed with occasional periods of gliding; but it was only on view for another 30 seconds or so, before this hirundine flock disappeared from view.

At first I rather doubted myself, it took a minute for it to sink in what I had seen, and in the blind panic of those crucial seconds it was on view I had failed to note whether the bird had a red-rumps pale, buffish collar on the nape! The rump also seemed too pale at first, but remembering my experience with Red-rumps in Bulgaria in strong sunlight it was consistent with those birds. I fear the SOSRC might not put through a red-rump if I failed to notice the nape-collar, but I'm happy with the identification at any rate, despite mulling it over again and again til my head hurt.

Aside from the Swallow, it was a phenomenal day at Seaford Head, and here are my counts

Goldfinch-550
Chaffinch-200
Siskin-110
Linnet-67
Redpoll-17
Brambling-5
Chiffchaff-70
Goldcrest-30
Blackcap-5
Redwing-9
Mistle Thrush-1
Song Thrush-3
Blackbird-30
Robin-50
Dunnock-70
Jay-4
Pied Wagtail-105
Yellow Wagtail-5
Grey Wagtail-4
Skylark-46
Meadow Pipit-325
Tree Pipit-3
House Martin-80
Swallow-3
RED-RUMPED SWALLOW-1
Greenshank-1
Common Sandpiper-1

I was then back up at Harry's Bush an hour after getting home, when Nick Pope found a YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER. Needless to say, I failed to see it. I'd write some more detail on am amazing day but right now I'm shattered!