12th November, 2011 Margate, Kent.

After a short visit to Beachy Head, we decided to twitch the Eastern race of the Black Redstart which was first found yesterday on the beach at Margate. We recorded the following:

80 Sanderling

30 Turnstone

10 Rock Pipits

4 fly over Ring Necked Parakeets

1 Med. Gull

1 Wheatear

1 male Eastern Black Redstart

Eastern Black Redstart of the race phoenicuroides,

breeds in the mountains of Central Asia. It is a long

distant migrant and winters in the UAE.

DNA has shown that this race is nearer to Hodgsons

Redstart which is a short distant migrant and winters

in Nepal.

This picture shows the diagnostic primary spacing ratio

with the large gap between p6 & p7 can be seen eliminating

the possibility of it being a hybrid between Common & Black

Redstart.

Upto 80 Sanderling were seen at Margate.