(Northern) Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe

Wheatears are common summer migrants to the UK and overwinter in Africa. They are part of the same family as robins and stonechats, which ornithologists recently split from thrushes, finding that they had more in common with flycatchers. The first three shots are of a female or first-winter bird. The fourth is of an autumn male, possibly of the Greenland race leucorhoa, which often pass through Britain on their way to Africa. Wheatears are easy to see in flight due to their white tails with a T-shape black bar at the end.
 

  

  

1-3: Selsey West Beach, 30/09/2006.
4: Selsey Bill, 26/09/2006.