Red-throated Pipit!

Seen this afternoon on Skomer a very smart Red-throated Pipit. This is just the 5th record for the island, the last being seen in 2002.

Given away by it's distinctive call, Dave spotted the bird as he was doing his rounds of the seal pupping beaches. It was seen several times as it flew between patches of bracken and even obliged us with a quick perch on a rock for it's photo.

These birds breed in the very north of Europe and overwinter in Africa and the middle East. A few turn up in Britain each year when they get pushed off course during migration, so this was a very exciting find! There have also been birds reported from Devon, Lancashire and Scilly in the last few days.

Unfortunately this bird was seen on the Neck, a very fragile part of the island that is left undisturbed except for essential monitoring work (such as the seal project). The forecast is also atrocious for the next few days with a gale coming in tomorow so sadly we arn't going to be able to show this great little bird to other people. But you never know, keep your eyes peeled because there's got to be some other good birds around.........