February 17th - A New Species for Reculver or maybe not!

I received this from the secretary of the British Birds Rarity Committee on 29th July. A bit disappointing but not a complete surprise.

Just writing to let you know that this bird has been accepted by BBRC as a Pine Bunting but with some Yellowhammer influence – as indicated by the yellowish edges to the primary wing feathers that are discernible in the photos. A ‘pure’ Pine Bunting has clean white edges to those feathers.  We’ve had a few like this in Britain over the years – hybrids arise because the two species overlap in range further east.  Your record is therefore due to be published in the annual BBRC report, but under Pine Bunting x Yellowhammer.

Over the last few years we have managed to persuade two of the local farms to leave strips of wheat around the edge of fields during the winter. This has had a beneficial effect on the farmland birds particularly buntings with over 100 Corn Buntings, 20 Yellowhammers and 300 Reed Buntings being regularly seen.
This morning we added a new bunting to the Reculver list in the shape of a male PINE BUNTING (109th) that I found in the bushes beside the river Wantsum with Reed Buntings. It then moved west along the bushes on the railway embankment with Reed and Corn Buntings before disappearing near the White Poplars, probably flying off to feed on the Marsh. It would not surprise me if it had spent the winter here.
I managed some long range photos but it was always some distance ahead of me.

Male Pine Bunting

Other birds we saw this morning included 12 Chaffinches, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Little Grebe, 59 Corn Buntings, 30 Reed Buntings, 1 Wigeon, 1 Goldcrest, 11 Mallard, 11 Shelduck and 120 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.
Terry Wilson was also out today doing the Turnstone survey between Minnis Bay and Coldharbour and saw 2 Snow Buntings, 5 Turnstone, 2 Marsh Harriers, 150 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Bearded Tits and 30 Common Scoter.