Wryneck!

After last nights rain I decided to get up early and see if anything had dropped into West Hartford. On my way to WH a Groppa and a Whitethroat were calling in the small area of scrub opposite Blue Star training pitch. When I arrived GM and dog were there and hadn't seen much apart from the Wheatear which were still around the rubbish pile.
The mian flash was waderless and after less than half an hour I decided to head back. I met LMcD on the way and we had another look at the Wheatear. A bright male Wheatear flew into the field next to the fire station and landed on top of a dead branch. Whislt watching it I noticed another bird climbing up a reed stem.
At first I thought it was going to be a Reed Bunting or a Warbler but when I looked I couldn't believe what I was seeing, a Wryneck!
LMcD was convinced it was a Reed Bunting as it flew off towards the treeline left of the main flash. I was determined to prove what I had seen and as we approached the trees it hopped out onto an area of dead branches.
Over the next ten minutes as I was letting people know, it flew onto the wasteground in front of the main flash, landed in the dead trees there, pecked at insects on the tree, landed on the ground again and was last seen flying towards the treelne left of the main flash.

LMcD managed to get some record shots which he will send me at some point. I spent another hour with GM and JM trying to refind it but there was no sign by the time I left.

That was definately a bird I was never expecting to see at WH and just proves that anything could be out there. This is also the first record for Cramlington.

88 - Whitethroat

89 - Wryneck