It's nearing the end of August now and migration season is well and truly getting underway at Beckingham. It is always an exciting time of year and the presence of passage northern wheatear always brightens up the day!
Northern wheatear, or Oenanthe oenanthe to be scientific are charming and charismatic little birds and can be seen at Beckingham every spring and autumn on their way up to more northerly breeding grounds and down to wintering quarters in sub-Saharan Africa. They are distinctive and easily recognized - even at a distance - by their bright white rumps and black 'T' shaped marking on their tails. Males in breeding plumage sport stunning slate blue upperparts, with a yellow/buff throat and breast, black mask and black wing feathers. Females are similar, with more buff tinged upperparts and browner edging on the black mask and wing feathers.
Interestingly, wheatears are related to thrushes and chats, being in the same family as the familiar blackbird, robin, redstart, stonechat and whinchat.
However, the most remarkable wheatear fact surrounds their incredible migrations. This species has a huge breeding range, extending from here in the UK, across Eurasia to far north-eastern Russia, into Alaska and westwards to Greenland and Iceland. Despite this, the entire world population winters in sub-Saharan Africa, meaning even birds from far north western Canada, Alaska and the very north eastern corner of Russia make an epic journey each year to winter in Africa, alongside birds that breed much closer. An amazing feat for a small passerine!
Adult wheatear in non-breeding plumage. Tom Marshall (rspb-images.com)