The Field Good Factor

As some of you know, I have a pretty awesome job. I am paid to watch birds. Yes there is paperwork, management, health and safety and long hours, but I am paid to watch birds. Every now and then I have a day in the field which reminds me how lucky I am. Sometimes that's just down to a fine day, a good tune, a particular sighting or a lucky photo. This week I had one of those days, and I thought I should share it with you. In part that's because I wanted to do a post with some photos, and partly it's because I'm aware how many posts I've made that rant or rave or in some way expose my own or others' shortcomings. I thought it was time for some positivity, so here it is!




These two guys caused me much amusement recently. They were so caught up in battling each other that they failed to notice me entirely. I've seen this quite a lot, and an old farmer once told me that he had walked right up to a pair and grabbed them as they were so intent on damaging one another they totally ignored him.

 

These boring brown birds are corn buntings. Wiltshire is a great place to see them despite the fact that they are declining massively across the country. They have a call that sounds like a bunch of keys being jangled, and are called the fat bird of the barley due to their chubby nature. The name 'bunting' actually translates as 'plump', and in Orkney they are know as 'skitter-broltie', which means 'one who shits on the braithes' (the ropes that hold a corn stack together).

 

 

This bright chappy is a close relation of the corn buntings, a yellowhammer. The males are canary yellow in spring, and can be seen sitting atop bushes and posts singing their 'little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheese' song.

 

  

These little chubsters are grey or 'English' partridge. They are another Wiltshire speciality and also declining across the UK. More often you will come across the red-legged or 'French' partridge, and so it's still a pleasure to see these beautiful birds. This is the first time I've been able to photograph them, and this fine couple were out for an evening stroll together.

  

 





This little stunner is a whinchat. This can be easily confused with our resident stonechats, but the whinchat is a summer migrant and have recently been arriving with us. There are good numbers on Salisbury Plain, and regular surveys keep track of them.

 

 

These tasty looking treats are great bustards. They've been reintroduced to Salisbury Plain after a long absence - the last bustard was shot in the UK in 1832! They're on the Wiltshire crest and you can go and see them by visiting the great bustard project (click here for the website). This is the world's heaviest flying bird and probably the only bird that could turn a 12 bird roast into a 13 bird roast!

 

 

This small falcon is a hobby. It's another migrant, and the bird sniffing it's feet is actually feeding on the wing having caught a dragonfly. The latin name for the hobby is falco subbuteo, and many of you will know it from the childhood football game of the same name. The chap who invented it wanted to name it after his favourite bird, but that was rejected so he used the latin name instead!

 

Finally I thought I would add in a collection of other shots from recent tough days in the office, starting with a red kite - one of many in the area thanks to successful reintroduction programmes.

 

 

  

It's a great pleasure being out on the Plain. There are plenty of deer up there and the silhouette is another corn bunting singing in the half light. 

 

The light has been fantastic lately with the contrast between the bright sunshine and dark, menacing cloud.

 

 

If you want to experience any of this for yourself there are lots of public rights of way available, but please heed the guidance from the MoD - often stark warnings about being blown up if you touch anything and reminding you to stick to the tracks!

Finally, I thought I would leave you with a lapwing standing on a pheasant's head. Who doesn't want to see that?!