REPORTED: Possible little bunting at Lea 25/02/2014

Andrew Chick · **Posted:** Tue Feb 25, 2014 11:50 pm

Report by Dean Nicholson (via email)

Just a quick note on a briefly seen, small (noticeably smaller than a Chaffinch in direct comparison) pale wing barred (boldest on m covs) bunting I had this afternoon at Lea Park.....It was feeding in a weedy field with a mixed finch/bunting flock at the SE end of Lea Park....from Lea Park car park, head south across the cricket pitch and into the wood, follow the track E till you come to a wooden fence cutting across the length of the wood (there is a footbridge over a flooded ditch but don't cross this) edge along the fence line to the N and the flock was around this corner.

I'll be down there first thing for another look...... not particularly easy viewing so the more eyes the better

Derick Evans · **Posted:** Wed Feb 26, 2014 1:39 pm

Great turn out at 'Lea Park' to look for reported Little Bunting.
That was just me :0)... Now reporting negative news (Great directions & map Dean) after 4 hours searching this morning.
An almost impossible task to view/find a specific bird like this in this vast area alone!

There is/was however a large but often flighty Finch & Bunting flock feeding some distance away from wood, closer to B1242 road looking North.
They were keeping mainly to the drier parts of this stubble field and included Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnets & Reed Bunting.
Also had Stonechat in same field. 3 Great Spots in wood & a Lesser spot. in copse close to Kexby road.

Derick Evans · **Posted:** Fri Feb 28, 2014 11:53 am

Has anyone been to Lea Park since first report please?

Derick Evans · **Posted:** Fri Feb 28, 2014 6:05 pm

Little Bunting at 'LEA' village near Gainsborough at 4-30pm today.
Showed really well eventually & photographed on electricity wires and in hedge along edge of stubble field till 5pm at least.
Nice one Dean!

Graham Catley · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:20 pm **Posts:** 1667

any photos available??

Derick Evans · **Posted:** Fri Feb 28, 2014 10:52 pm

Hi Graham.
Phil Palmer was with me and took some record shots. Just spoke with him & he will send me them when he gets home.
He told me I could forward them to you. So will do ASAP.

NB: We refound Little Bunting loosely associating with a flock of Linnets close to same area of wet stubble field that Dean reported it in.

The Linnets flock & LB flew off towards most eastern field and landed on electricity wires, then spent most of time either feeding alone in eastern most field next to B1341 Kexby Rd. and or flying into adjacent hedgerow behind the houses and back to field.
Good luck!

Andrew Chick · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2014 7:04 pm

Link to Paul Sullivan's twitter feed with photo at https://twitter.com/birdmanpaul/status/ ... 33/photo/1

and direct link below (again from Paul Sullivan twitter feed - all copyright with Paul Sullivan)

Stephen Routledge · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:35 pm

Another quality find Dean,nice one!.

Steve.

Graham Catley · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:20 pm **Posts:** 1667

with no criticism intended I think Paul's photo maybe enhances the brightness of the chestnut on the Little Bunting's head; certainly today, with no sun., it looked much duller with the underparts being buff tinged and the pale eye ring rather in obvious; I would suggest that it is probably a first-winter, as might be expected, and possibly a female but the latter is more conjecture than based on observed plumage features; feeding on the ground it was very elusive today and when perched up was often in the tops of the tallest trees or on wires but when perched seemed to be uttering the tic call constantly although with no real volume and was only audible at about 50m range -- just shows what a little bit of habitat can produce -- this bird has presumably been present since the autumn but on 95 walks out of 100 it would probably have been over-looked -- how many other rare passerines are lurking in such spots in Lincs? seemingly none where I look!!!

a few pics in the album and more here
http://pewit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/lit ... lincs.html

Derick Evans · **Posted:** Mon Mar 03, 2014 1:31 am

Graham Catley wrote:

with no criticism intended I think Paul's photo maybe enhances the brightness of the chestnut on the Little Bunting's head; certainly today, with no sun., it looked much duller with the underparts being buff tinged and the pale eye ring rather in obvious; <snip> feeding on the ground it was very elusive today and when perched up was often in the tops of the tallest trees or on wires but when perched seemed to be uttering the tic call constantly <snip>!!! a few pics in the album and more here
http://pewit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/lit ... lincs.html

When we first saw it on the wires and perched up in the late evening sunshine, those chestnut tones and pale underparts really did shine out but as the cloud covered the sun, it appeared much duller as you point out.

As for being elusive Graham. It took me 3 visits and all of 12 hours tramping and searching those stubble fields before my friends and I eventually pinned it down and it was that almost inaudible tic call you mentioned that we were listening out for and heard that partly gave it away.
Enjoyed the hunt though for a new Linc's tick for me.....

Chris Grimshaw · **Posted:** Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:02 pm

The bird showed briefly just before midday in the hedge by the houses at the top end of the site. It showed for about a minute before flying back towards the wood. Others claimed to have seen it from time to time in various areas of the stubble field. The field was a difficult area to see birds in.

Stephen Routledge · **Posted:** Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:01 pm

The Bird showed superbly first thing this morning in the hedge near to the gardens and then visiting the set aside strip near to the road,it then became flighty,loosely associating with a male Reed Bunting and I last saw it flying off in the direction of the wood.

Regards,

Steve.

Matthew Harrison · **Posted:** Sat Mar 08, 2014 3:46 pm

After over two and a half hours searching this morning, finally located the Little Bunting on the edge of the stubble field/woodland at 11:40. It showed well for around 20 seconds sat out in the open on some low branches. Shortly afterwards Russell Hayes et.al had arrived and also saw the bird a little further along the field edge. Other birds noted this morning included:

Linnet - 43
Chaffinch - 12
Goldfinch - 5
Reed Bunting - 4
Yellowhammer - 1
Redpoll - 1
Meadow Pipit - 1
Great spotted Woodpecker - 1
Coal tit - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 2
Redwing - 23 flew over
Kestrel - 1
Buzzard - 1

Matthew

Russell Hayes · **Posted:** Sat Mar 08, 2014 6:11 pm

Bino's and Scope views of the Little Bunting around 11:55am

Also noted at site:

Siskin
Pied Wagtail
Nuthatch
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Mistle Thrush

with Garry Wright & Ken Shone

Ron Clarke · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2014 5:29 pm

Seen today at 2.30pm sitting on telegraph wire which crosses the Eastern side of the field by 3 of us. Scoped at 50' really impressive bird in the Sun. Also noted were Linnets, Pied Wags,M Pipits,Sparrowhawk, C Buzzards annd a pair of Reed Buntings.
NOTE: The field has been ploughed today apart from the field East of the path which crosses it!

Ron Clarke

The Lincolnshire Bird Club

REPORTED: Possible little bunting at Lea 25/02/2014

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