Appointments with a couple of visitors today and doing the school run curtailed my usual cycle into work. After dropping my lad off to school I stopped by take a peek at some paddocks that lie south of Sweets Lane/Easterfields, East Malling. The habitat looked perfect for migrants, but all I picked out was a Pied Wagtail and a couple of Linnets. The scratchy song of a Whitehroat carried from the nearby hedgerow.
Three Orange Tips and a possible Small Tortioseshell flitted by. Taking a final scan around the hedgerows and trees surronding the paddock I picked out a Wheatear sitting a top one of the smaller trees. It nervously from one tree to the next but never touched down on the ground.
Not sure if it's 'Greenlander' - didn't seem as big or orange as the bird I had on Tuesday, but still my 3rd Wheatear for the Spring so I'm not complaining!
I managed a quick trip out at lunchtime, no Wheatear but for you train buffs a King Arthur class steam loco through East Malling station as I waited to cross the line - 30777 Sir Lamiel on it's way to Canterbury
