I have been studying the behaviour and taking pictures of Whinchat on Dartmoor during the last week or so. They are reasonably easy to find once you have a rough idea of their location. I move off the main paths and follow the sheep trails through the heather and bracken and then listen out for their quite distinctive calls. Stonechat are named for their calls said to resemble the chipping of stones against each other but I find that Whinchat are for more remeniscent of this sound. Whinchat will make a double call this “chip” and a musical note which can appear to be closer to you than it actually is. The birds will settle on the tops of bracken and heather calling and chipping to each other. In my experience females are far more approachable and the males tend to keep their distance, but this is far from scientific and just based on the casual observations of the pairs that I have been watching. Males call with a slightly more musical note. Once in my chair hide the birds will come within a few feet of the hide and chase after small flying insects, “flycatcher-like”. From time to time they will dive down to pick up a caterpillar or perched insect.
This male is very approachable or should I say approached me, choosing a favourite perch on a growth of bracken and returning repeatedly to the same perch all the time calling and chipping to his mate, she was simultaneously calling some 30 or 40 metres away.
I am hoping to go back to the area today to see if I can get pictures of newly fledged youngsters.