Maiden Castle

A Snow Bunting that has been showing well at Maiden Castle has been tempting me all week, and with a free morning on Sunday, I decided that the short journey to the castle would be well worth making.

The bird was showing fantastically well, feeding in a stubble field right next to the car park.

Snow Bunting, Maiden Castle. It was fantastically well-camouflaged.

It was fantastic to see such an awesome bird so close to home at such a cool location. The bird is quite rare in Dorset (this is the only record of the bird in the county this winter other than a couple of fly-over individuals on the coast), and an inland record is rarer still. It really was a great experience to see this Arctic species with the backdrop of an ancient castle. 

Meanwhile, the Chiffchaffs are back in song at Hilfield, Last year, I had seen Swallow, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Common Redstart here by the end of the month, so hopefully a few more Spring migrants will be arriving here soon!