It's official, they do not exist.....

A SE airstream, early September, and stubble fields on Flamborough Head.....surely absolutely ideal for an Ortolan.  But no, despite a good tramp round, I have successfully managed to avoid seeing this mythical bird yet again.

Despite having a list comfortably in excess of 400 species, many of which I have found for myself over the years, I have steadfastly managed not to see this bunting.  It is remarkable that despite having worked and lived in Dorset for 20 years, been birding all round the West country, and now living in another hotspot county in Yorkshire, it is still nothing but a dream.  I have had numerous near misses, from about to go for one at Portland to hear that it had been run over, to watching a group of birders watching one, to being waved at by a mate who I thought was just being friendly but was actually trying to attract my attention as he had found a nice male on my local patch.

I have been to Cornwall and they turn up at Portland, and then back in Dorset to hear of others in Cornwall.  So, if I manage another autumn where I avoid this mythical beast, I will be maintaining this record of failure.  I can't help feeling that when I eventually do see one, it will actually be an anti-climax, removing a source of self-derision......

Despite all that, it was a beautiful day, and did see an Osprey over the lighthouse early on, and several Redstarts, Whitethroats and a Pied Flycatcher, and not one other birder.  Bliss.  Oh, and even driving through Bempton, I did not bother going to fight my way through all the twitchers to see the Brown Flycatcher, possibly due to the fact that I have already seen one more Brown Flycatcher than bloody Ortolan in England........