It may be cold and often damp and dreary, but this time of year brings its own quiet joys. Or in the case of our winter bird visitors, sometimes rather noisy ones!
At this time of year, lots of birds travel here to find better feeding grounds, then fly back to their breeding areas before spring. So look out for these birds to brighten up your day:
Fieldfares and Redwings
These are both types of thrush which come over to escape the harsh winters of Scandinavia. The Fieldfare is slightly bigger than a Mistle Thrush, with a grey patch round the back of the head and neck. The Redwing is slightly smaller than a Song Thrush, with an orangey-red patch on its side and an obvious creamy stripe above its eye.
We’re very likely to see Fieldfares and Redwings in the countryside around Ketton, and if the winter gets particularly harsh, then also in our gardens. They often occur together in big mixed flocks, making quite a bit of noise as they move along hedgerows and woodland/field edges looking for food. The Redwing makes a simple, throaty “chup,” or, when they are migrating, a higher pitched “zeep”. The Fieldfare makes more of a chuckling chatter. They eat berries and worms, and are one of the many reasons why it’s a good idea not to cut berry-bearing hedges until late winter (but before March to avoid nesting season). Imagine flying all the way from Scandinavia to find that your berry re-fuelling stations have been decimated by over enthusiastic tidying!
Bramblings
These little birds are very closely related to Chaffinches. They look quite similar but are slightly mottled, with sooty looking heads in the winter rather than the blueish grey head of the male Chaffinch. Both males and females have an orangey breast and white belly.
Again, they migrate from Scandinavia to feed here over autumn and winter, and can be seen feasting on seeds in a variety of habitats, including woodlands and stubble fields. They particularly like beech nuts, so look out for them in the beech woods by Ketton Quarry Nature Reserve – do let us know if you see any! They also occur in gardens, when they might mix in with flocks of Chaffinches.
Waxwings
If conditions in Scandinavia push them to migrate in large numbers, we may even be treated to views of the gorgeous Waxwing. Slightly smaller than a Starling, they look quite exotic, with their unmistakable buff-coloured crest and strong black facial markings. They eat berries, and are particularly fond of hawthorn and rowan, but also rose hips and cotoneaster. In a bumper year they can be seen in gardens and even flock to rowan trees in supermarket car parks!
The RSPB website has information pages about each of these birds, where you can watch videos of them and listen to their calls. Just click “Bird A-Z” on the “Birds and Wildlife” tab.
Happy watching!
Jemma
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