That will be a Redstart then!

Today has something of a redstart theme. The following images are, apart from a couple of afterthoughts at the end, all redstart. Before I get to those, I learnt something new about redstarts today (although I dare say it's in the guides), they mimic. That is to say, they mix into there own actually fairly short, unremarkable little song, snatches of song from other species. The particular bird I was listening to at Thursley this morning inserted a very convincing slice of willow warbler with a little chiffchaff, both species present elsewhere around Thursely.
Thursely itself was, as usual, replete with its wonderful core species, dartford warbler, tree pipit, woodlark, skylark, stonechat and the wonderful sound and indeed sight of curlew.

It was also replete with proper photographers. By proper, I mean carrying lenses that would look ok next to the Hubble telescope with assorted accompanying equipment that needed a trolley to take it all. Dragging that thing through the sandy soils of Thursley can't have been much fun so I hope they got the shot!

All of which brings me back to those redstarts.

That last image is not, I believe, showing an active nest, so much as a prospecting male and certainly the area I took this in looks excellent for possible redstart nest sites

Also in the area was a flock of maybe twenty redpoll, difficult to photograph and so it proved. The only image I would describe as just about acceptable being this one. More learning however; thought I was hearing long tailed tit (the dry rattling call), next time, I will perhaps identify the call more quickly.

I managed to dodge a couple of cantering horses (I could say they were galloping but my knowledge of horses gearing ratios is a bit suspect), the riders were very polite it must be said and using that route did bring me to another redstart, followed by coffee (no cake, big mistake)..

A couple of images from last week at Papercourt to finish off. Skylark proving how difficult they are to photograph and a pretty high red kite, nice tail shape 'tho.