Spring chat

For some patch birders, the Stonechat is the species that declares Spring sprung! From late February onwards this smart chat starts to appear in modest numbers across southern England, from headlands (such as Portland Bill and Dungeness) to inland farms (such as Canons). At the latter site, after the odd winter individual, we were treated to three birds today, including two spanking males. These images are enough to proclaim this bird of the British race hibernans and not the continental race of rubicola that sometimes turns up, particularly along the south coast. To help us get into the seasonal mood, the sun shone, and it was, at times, mild. Roll on the white arses...