I got to the site about 16:30 and met up with Joel Lund who had dipped with me on Tuesday. After hearing that Dave Cleal had seen the bird around midday, I gave him a call and he said the bird had been about 5-6 yards past the kissing gate. He stressed just how difficult the bird was to see and that you had to scan the stubble with binoculars to locate it. Even then it was difficult.
This was exactly what Mike Collard had said the day before.
So Joel and I started scanning the close stubble either side of the kissing gate and about 10 minutes later Joel spotted a movement which turned out to be the LAPLAND BUNTING. Hooray!! In the middle of this Peter Stanford also turned up, so three of us watched the bird until just before 17:45. It was incredibly hard to see and if you looked away it was difficult to relocate.
It was almost directly opposite the kissing gate at the end of the shorthedgerow. The bird was about 20 feet from the path and in amongst somegrass shoots which made it more difficult. So the bird had moved just 5-6yards since lunchtime. Just as I was leaving with Peter Stanford a Sparrowhawk crossed the field close to the spot where the bird was, but fortunately flew past. Also a Common Raven heard and seen briefly (Jim Rose).
This is an account of the personal observations of Lee G R Evans (LGRE) in his home county of Buckinghamshire. It also hosts all sightings of interest within the county but only those considered authentic by the author. I am extremely grateful for any images of local birds as well as of any information relating to birds within the boundaries - contact me anytime on 07881 906629 or email LGREUK400@aol.com.