A dinner time dash to the Shelf Moor trailer park field proved a bit of a puzzler.
The Lapwing flock is still only at 33 and these were in the field above the trailer park field along with around 50 Starlings and a few small gulls.
As I scanned the empty field for Snipe a small bird caught my eye in a vegetation patch in the top left corner of the field. It was obviously a Bunting species but belly crawling through the patch Lap Bunt style and only occasionally bobbin up to check around.
The pale crown stripe and lack of any form of moustache markings plus the white goggles it showed when facing me was pushing me from Reed Bunting , especially the jizz of the bird acting in such a strange way.
After 10 minutes of quick sightings and a couple of distant photos I was out of time so back at work I rang the cavalry, NK, who went down to try and re locate it.
Nigel came across several Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails in another field but the Lapwings had now moved down into the trailer park field possibly flushing the Bunting.
After checking the photos and text books with help from NK on the internet we agree that this is a female Reed Bunting probably in between summer and winter plumage although I still have an element of doubt.
Thanks to NK for his backup.
BS