Stonechats (male & female)

Two females and one male Stonechat were in amongst the Dartford Warblers up on the heath.

After watching them for a while it was clear that the Stonechats stay use these perching sticks nearly all the time and they seem to stick to a smaller area than the warblers. They just like the same area and are often seen together.

These two pictures are not technically very good but I think they are useful for identifying males and females.

January 2011 Summary

January stayed very mild for the time of year and on a sunny day up on the heath I was treated to the sight of at least six Dartford Warblers enjoying the warm sunshine with a male and two female Stonechats. I watched them for over an hour and managed to capture some special pictures. At the other end of the reserve I managed to see a Treecreeper and several nuthatch in the wooded area by the Ringwood Rd. In the Wetlands where the ground is very wet I found a Grey Wagtail by the reeds looking for food in the mud. All in all despite being mid winter there is still lots to see.