A very rare summer visitor at Croome, these birds are much more likely to be found on more rugged ground, for example on the Malvern Hills. However, when I visited in 2013 this young one was feeding on insects on the lawn in front of the house. It was probably just passing through.

Five years later, I saw my second Wheatear at Croome - virtually in the same place, on a fence bordering the house lawns. In fact when it eventually flew off, it flew towards the house, where I saw the first one. It has just caught a nice juicy grasshopper. .

My previous two sightings had been in the late summer/autumn when the birds were on their way back home. Finally in 2019 I saw one in the spring, when they were first arriving. The male below was looking very smart, ready for the breeding season.