I arrived this morning with the intention of sketching the wintering Ruff, if it was still here. I parked under Bannam's Wood and walked down to the pool, which I was pleased to see had more water in it than last week. After counting a dozen Yellowhammers in the hedge bordering the pool I noticed another passerine, which I assumed was another Yellowhammer on the top of a distant dead tree. A few yards further on and I looked at it again. Something was starting to ring alarm bells. I started to assemble my scope, and half way through the process it flew and headed past me, it looked brown and rather large for a Yellowhammer. Fortunately it then landed on top of an oak tree, showing no white in the outertail. I scoped what I was now certain was my first Corn Bunting for the site. The fawn rump and a useful size comparison with a smaller and longer-tailed Yellowhammer which briefly joined it clinched the identification.
I have reproduced some hurried field sketches. It was cold and I was excited, that's my excuse for the dodgey quality. I may try to post a nicer line drawing later.
There have been two previous records of Corn Bunting, Jonathan Bowley saw one in 2007, and Chris Lane, Matt Griffiths and John Yardley gripped me off last January. I had heard that another bird (or small flock?) had been seen near Spernall, which is only a few miles away, in December, so I suppose the sighting wasn't so unexpected.
I continued to the flashes after the bird disappeared, and had a reasonable view of the Ruff, so I've included those sketches too.
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