The Stonechat family of Trendlebere Down #1

I may have become slightly obsessed. I’ve just spent a couple of afternoons up on Trendlebere Down on the east of Dartmoor. It was destroyed by fire in 1997 and is only just recovering. I’ve been spending time sitting in Gorse bushes waiting for a pair of Stonechats to come close.

They did:

Stonechat - Trendlebere Down - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

They seem to love calling and hunting and perching and flitting so much that they fill their every waking hour with it.

You can’t mistake them for anything else, given their two-strike call is like two stones being banged together.

Here’s the male. He has a small tick under his eye, which makes me wonder just how safe from ticks I am, sitting in this Gorse bush. I’m feeling a bit itchy just thinking about it.

Stonechat - Trendlebere Down - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Prepare yourself. If you’re about to share my Stonechat adventures, you may just fall a little bit in love with them.

More Stonechats

Recreating Tunnicliffe's Stonechats Recreating Tunnicliffe’s Stonechats Ever since I discovered Stonechats and Charles Tunnicliffe's portrait of them, I've wanted to reproduce his painting in a photograph.… read more
Stonechat - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Stonechats on Trendlebere Down A quick trip to Trendlebere Down turned into a long one. The Stonechats were active, perched on the highest viewpoint… read more
Stonechat - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Chatting Returning to a chatting Stonechat. They really do love the highest perches available. read more

Feel free to leave a Reply :)