Wednesday, 6 February 2019

Garden Visitors in the Form of Winter Migrants



It is always a thrill and a joy to find something a little unusual in the garden. Yesterday I noticed a small flock of Redwing.


By the time I found my camera there was only one left, but then a second Redwing returned. When I first noticed these birds, they were sitting with a pair of Blackbirds in the Acer outside my window.



I have rarely seen Redwing: I don't think I saw any when we lived in Wales, and indeed they are listed in the Red conservation category on the RSPB site


Redwing are very distinctive with their flushed feathers and speckled chests. We have few berries at the best of times so perhaps they were sourcing worms. 


Apparently they are more likely to be seen in suburban and urban areas during snowy spells, and in fact we saw a single Redwing in our garden back in January 2017

5 comments:

Crafty Green Poet said...

Lovely photos Caroline, specially the first one. Redwings are such pretty birds and we have a lot of them in Edinburgh this year.

Ragged Robin said...

Wonderful photos Caroline of your surprise garden visitors :) We usually only see a flock when the weather is very bad and they will come to apples on the lawn or eat holly berries (if there are any left!). I saw one lone one earlier this year using the pond.

eileeninmd said...

Hello, pretty shots of the Redwing. Great series. Enjoy your day!

Amanda Peters said...

How lovely,and you got them on camera too. Not had any this year in the garden,they love apples stuck on tree branches I seem to remember from last year.
Such a beautiful bird, not sure where they go over summer or where they breed?
Amanda xx

Lowcarb team member said...

How lovely to see these photographs.
A beautiful looking bird.

All the best Jan