As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Saturday 27 October 2012

Rare bird leads twitchers a merry dance


ONE of the rarest birds to be spotted in Shetland had ornithologists “up to high doe” this week after it was first spotted on Tuesday afternoon by local birder Iain Robertson at Pool of Virkie. 

Initial reports identified it as the scarce, but regular vagrant Little Bunting.

However when pictures were published on the internet that night the birding fraternity was sent all atwitter, with some local and mainland observers claiming it could be the even rarer Chestnut-Eared Bunting.

On Wednesday morning a small group of determined enthusiasts set about resolving the puzzle and after several hours chasing the sub-sparrow sized creature through the undergrowth they resolved the mystery.

This is only the second UK sighting of the Chestnut-Eared Bunting, the first seen on Fair Isle in October eight years ago, and the third ever European appearance. 

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