Whinchat

Above: Whinchat
Below: Stonechat

The Whinchat is a beautiful summer visitor to the UK but sadly declining in numbers. It is superficially similar to the resident stonechat (shown below left for comparison) but the latter lacks the distinguishing prominent white eyebrow of the whinchat. The back and crown are brown with a regular, clean pattern of darker brown streaking. The face of the male is black with a bold white eyebrow and the breast and belly is a rich, warm deep pink or red. The legs and beak are a shiny jet black. The female is similar to the male but her colour is more subdued.

The bird, like the stonechat, can be very confiding if approached slowly with no sudden movements. This is great as it enables you to get close enough to take good pictures if the bird is patient and curious enough to remain on it's perch. They also like to perch openly on top of a post or a bush which also aids photography.

Whinchats can be found in summer in upland areas of north and northwest Britain where there is plenty of open grassland or moor-land with a few bushes, posts or rocks for perching. However they are probably easiest to find on passage, when they often turn up along the coasts of the north west.

So where the best place to try? Well with this species I can't give a guarantee but the best places to try are Red Rocks nature reserve, between West Kirby and Hoylake, the North Wirral Coastal Park (around Leasowe Lighthouse) or Frodsham Marsh (See the page on Frodsham Marsh in 'My Local patch' for best location). In all places an early morning visit (6:00am is recommended) as dog walkers, joggers and others are likely to cause disturbance to the birds later in the day. Frodsham Marsh is less likely to suffer from this and so is my top recommended site. It is the only place I have regularly seen whinchat and the only place I've managed to get very close so as to take a good picture. If you see one on a post or wire fence, stop unload your tripod slowly from your shoulder and advance very slowly until within shooting distance.

To see whinchat on passage you'll need to look for them in late April and May where, on a good day, there can be as many as 8 or even 10 at Frodsham at any one time.