Lapland Bunting at Wholestone Moor 08/10/10

Decided to nip out late this afternoon after fog and mist had cleared. I bumped into Sean Johnson at Ringstone which turned out to be a blessing as it left me little time because of fading light to visit anywhere else other than Wholestone Moor on my way home.

On Ringstone incidentally were 2 Goosander, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 3 LBB Gull.

Got to Wholestone Moor around 17:40hrs and 40 Golden Plover were on the ground so gave them a wide berth as I didn't want to flush them or any other birds around. As I walked the area I flushed quite a few Meadow Pipit, particularly from areas of longer vegetation.

Around 18:00hrs as I approached one of the areas which has small pools of standing water, my attention was drawn to a bird of similar size to a Meadow Pipit or Reed Bunting that suddenly started creeping along the ground to my right, I immediately froze and got my bins on it and noticed it had reddish-brown ear coverts which were highlighted by a dark triangular stripe surrounding it. Other prominent stand-out features were the reddish-brown panel on the greater coverts, pale white wing-bars, lightly streaked breast and pale looking bill. I have made loads of other notes which I will submit to the recorder in due course.

I continued to observe the bird in fading light for around a further 5 minutes having telephoned another birder in the meantime, before I then heard the call of a bird coming from behind me which I had not heard before (a short almost flutey whistle). I turned around and briefly saw another bird again creeping away from me that seemed to behave in exactly the same manner as the Lapland Bunting I had just been observing. I walked in the direction of the second bird but I couldn't find it.

I left the area at 18:30hrs in fast fading light and believe neither bird had flown off at that time.