Digiscoped Black Redstart
Digiscoped Black Redstart from distance
Distance view
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail fly catching
Sharpness Docks, Gloucestershire
In my three years of birding seriously the Black Redstart has been a real bogey bird which has just avoided me where ever I have been. There has been no lack of effort as I even double dipped the species a couple of weeks ago 90 miles apart.
I didn't need a second invitation when Vern and "Breaking" Phil were going for a drive down the M5 at lunch time. ("Sauntering" Phil was apparently shopping, poor chap)
The docks looked to be a great location for the bird with a number of flat and vegetated roofs and I'd noted in the British Breeding Atlas a breeding dot was shown in this area. As soon as we parked up I saw a bird drop from the large building in front of us into a tree and then pass us to the top of the nearest house. The flight view showed the red on the tail and once landed you could see his robin size, domed head and vibrating tail. It's sessions like this you really appreciate having a superb telescope.
During the session we located two different birds that seemed to be working their way around the docks every 30 minutes. The good light enabled me to get a few digiscoped images however it wasn't easy as the birds were on the move all the time. Vern's image can be seen here. With less than a 100 breeding pairs (RSPB) it was a real pleasure to see such a beautiful bird.
Other birds noted during the visit included Grey & Pied Wagtails feeding in the same location as the Black Redstarts, Wigeon on river, Mute Swans flying downstream, Robin, Wren, Black-headed Gulls and a single Curlew.
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