A pair of Reed Buntings. The male bird sports a striking black head in the breeding season, but as we are now in winter, this has become duller. Females are brown, making them harder to distinguish from females or other brown birds. Note the female bird in my picture is ringed.

Spotted a few Grey Plovers on Keyhaven Marshes near Lymington, Hampshire yesterday. I also see them regularly on the mud on the River Hamble. I have only seen them in their winter plumage; usually, I find them fairly difficult to photograph decently due to how far off they are.

In summer, they have silver and black spotted upperparts, a black face, neck and belly. In winter, they lose the black feathers and take on a grey look.