Eastern Black-eared Wheatear - Acres Down, Hampshire

There is something about wheatears that always fills me with a touch of excitement, but when they are rare, in Hampshire and a Hampshire and British tick, you can imagine, my excitement was near bursting point. I had a busy day planned but news of an 'Eastern' Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica melanoleuca at Acres Down in the New Forest, meant that all plans went out of the window, and boy was it worth it. An absolutely cracking 'dark-throated' spring male giving fantastic views. There was nothing cryptic about this bird, it was just stunning, and a species I have been waiting to see in Hampshire for a long time. 

According to the Birds of Hampshire (Hampshire Ornithological Society, 1993) there have been three previous records of Black-eared Wheatears in Hampshire, at Farlington Marshes in 1954 and 1987, and at Keyhaven in 1992, although this latter one had not been accepted at the time of publication but was considered by HOS to be acceptable. All of these previous records were considered to have been Western Black-eared's O. h. hispanica . All have only stayed for one day so there was no messing with this one and leaving it till tomorrow, and let's face it, just look at it, why would I risk it!

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear - Acres Down

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear