A Lapland Bunting at Eshaness - 27th September

The night before we made a plan to return to Eshaness to view a Lapland Bunting that had been discovered below the lighthouse and not very far away from the still present Buff breasted Sandpiper.It would make a nice double of two good birds.

However on waking the next day it was to find  the wind had risen to a ferocious level with gusts of over 40mph.What it would be like on the exposed cliff top at Eshaness did not bear thinking about and we beganto have second thoughts. We discussed the situation and being birders decided to chance it despite the dire forecast.

It would never do to wimp out just because of a bit of wind no matter how strong. Would it?.

We set off ealy on the hour long drive to Eshaness and arrived at the lighthouse car park to find it unsurprisingly deserted.

Not a soul in sight and on opening the car door I soon found out why as the force of the wind blew me sideways against the car, such was its strength.

We got our gear together and secured our weatherproof clothing for the ordeal to come.We walked out onto the downward sloping grass plain below the lighthouse, spreading out in order to cover as much ground as possible.I thought there was little chance of finding the bunting in this wind as we struggled to remain upright in the violent gusts that assaulted us.

I followed a fence line running down towards the cliffs..On the other side was a scree of stones,larger rocks and seeding thrift which I thought looked a likely spot for the bunting but initially could see little sign. I walked further and on the point of givng it up as a lost cause a small bird fluttered low over the stones for a short distance before hunkering down again.I looked at it in my bins and sure enough it was the Lapland Bunting, now watching me warily.

Mark was some way off from me and in the howling wind it was almost impossible to get his attention, my shouts being blown away on the wind but eventually he heard me, came running and he too saw the bunting before it flew and we lost sight of it.

Frustraion grew large as I really wanted a nice photo of this pleasingly patterned and uncommon bird. We walked as far as possible to the cliff edge careful not to get blown over and then I suggested  a plan.We walked round the end of the fenceline and then back up through the stones and Thrift.If the bunting was hiding here we would surely discover it. 

We walked up through the multitude of uneven stones trying not to stumble over them. There seemed little sign that we would be successful in re-finding the bunting but carried on and roughly where we had first seen the bunting,it flew up and over the fence and carried by the wind  landed  at some distance on the short windswept grass amongst a flock of Starlings. Obviously not to its liking it did not remain there long before flying and landing back amongst the stones and commenced feeding on the seeding Thrift

Slowly we walked towards it, gradually getting as close as we dared, then stopping to allow  me to take some images.We remained absolutely still, conscious of the bunting's apparent wariness but this time it showed little concern about our presence and began working its way toward us, shuffling busily amongst the stones and Thrift, feeding non stop.

It couldn't have worked out better and I chanced my arm by slowly walking towards the bunting which now seemed re-assured we meant it no harm and eventually it was as close as I felt necessary and made the most  of this unexpected photographic opportunity.

We remained with the bird for twenty minutes and left it contentedly feeding and went in search of the sandpiper..We found it feeding distantly on the grass but now others had arrived and a person in a bright yellow jacket made sure it rapidly departed.

We returned to the car pleased at confounding the odds and headed away from Eshaness to Braewick Cafe where we treated ourselves to coffee and a slice of cake

Well why not?