A Wheatear this afternoon, on the lawn behind Darts Farm shopping market.

I often say, in fact I remember saying it yesterday "You don't see anything sat on the sofa". And, so it proved today. I spent the morning sorting through yesterday's photos and as the day went on the weather brightened a bit, enough for me to gather up the gear and head out to see what I could find. My first stop was Darts Farm and the new hide which is accessed at the fishing ponds. My attention was drawn to the numerous Wagtails, apparently Pied but there could have been one or more White's. I have enjoyed photographing them, I rather like the idea that they seem to be so variable and I am trying to picture as many different birds as possible. There were a few different ones today that were quite attractive.

Five different individuals, all varying ages and sex…… but the Wheatear was definitely the highlight of the day. It was an interesting encounter and a lesson in patience and persistence. I had seen the bid at first on the track in front of the car.  I snapped offf a photo or two none were  as good as they could have been but a decent record never the less.  After just a few seconds  a couple of walkers disturbed it and it flew in to the adjoining crops. Here is where my patience paid off. I sat in the car, admittedly photographing the wagtails, but all the time expecting the Wheatear to return…….. and after 40 minutes or so…… there it was, feeding in the short mown grass. Even more waiting and watching, and eventually not one but two Wheatears were in front of me. One suddenly ran forward and grabbed an insect and then proceeded to deal with it in front of me, now only a few feet from the car (and my lens). Bingo, a result. I was intrigued to see, when I had loaded the files on to my  iBook, that it had caught, what appears to be, a Garden Cross Spider - Araneus diadematus.  This spider has  striped legs, you can make that out in the photo.