Reed Buntings in my South Essex Garden!

I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was March 31^st and I was looking at a handsome male reed bunting in the garden. This was a first for my garden list and then astonishingly, like London buses, a second one turned up, minutes later. For the next seven days one or both of these summer plumaged males have returned to the garden to feed on seeds that had fallen to the ground below the hanging feeders.  Here they would confidently forage along with the odd chaffinch or greenfinch allowing close up views through the binoculars or telescope. With its striking black head with a clear white collar, the black and warm brown patterning on the wings and the delicate streaking on the flanks it was a picture.

Garden year list for 2012 now up to 25 species.