With only ten accepted UK records to the end of 2022, the Black-faced Bunting is a true three star mega rarity. So when one was found on the Spurn peninsula in Yorkshire a few days back a twitch was a real no-brainer. Some two weeks ago I had got up in the middle of the night only to dip, along with several hundred other birders, another 3 star mega, a White-throated Needle Tail, at nearby Bampton. So I was not particularly motivated to have another short nights sleep. Instead I decided to leave home at 7 am on the assumption that, if present, the bird would be reported by 8 am. If it had done an overnight bunk I would divert and spend the day birding elsewhere. As it turned out the gods of birding were with me on this occasion and the Bunting was duly reported as present and correct at 8 am. Its pushing on for a four hour drive from home to Spurn so it was around 11 am when I arrived with the bird still being regularly reported. The Spurn peninsula is a long narrow...
pics available framed or unframed at https://www.etsy.com/shop/BirdlifeStudio