Redwings.

[peter crabtree]

Some huge flocks around SW Herts at the moment , much bigger than previous years. Even bold enough to venture into my garden.
They do however get chased off by the blackbirds which are slightly smaller.
A really stunningly marked bird.
Seen any?

 

[little oik]

Only small numbers so far. We usually get a number of small flocks (50 to 80 birds per flock ) in the fields around us .Perhaps they are all over at yours

 

[Fred Bonney]

Considerable numbers up here to.

 

[sam vimes]

I've not noticed the redwings up here on the Wolds but I have seen a few Fieldfares.

 

[Fred Bonney]

Got them too, we wondered why the berries had been left alone for so long...now we know

 

[little oik]

Am hoping to see the curlews again this year .They landed in a field at the back of the house last year on their migratory run .Was just staring at them for over an hour .There had to have been just over 30 birds in the flock .Although there were some that were a about a third smaller (Same shape etc) but everytime I got within decent range they took off and settled down the other end .To this day I think they were Whimbrels but never heard of them flocking with Curlews .(about 7 of the birds were thus )Also the books state Whimbrels do not get over here . No chance of photos as I could only get within about 100 yds of them and only have a bog standard digital camera.

 

[Fred Bonney]

My old Readers Digest/AA Book of British Birds(1976)

Whimbrel.

It is no use looking for whimbrel in winter, but at migration times small passing flocks may turn up anywhere on the coast*, often among the larger curlews, which they resemble

* includes Ireland

I have only ever seen 1 curlew, a deceptively large bird.

 

[sam vimes]

I have only ever seen 1 curlew, a deceptively large bird.

Really? They're as common as muck on the Wolds and in/around the Dales. I'd have expected them to be seen fairly regularly in Lincolnshire.

 

[Fred Bonney]

No Sam, just the one at Cleethorpes , 10 feet away ignoring me.

 

[little oik]

Thanks for that Fred the only thing I could find was that according to the book I was looking at they do not visit Ireland .Good Book that !!!!!!. They should be due again march April time so hopefully get a better look at them .
Big field ,no cover plenty of cowpats ,that sort of thing ,perhaps time to get the real tree out mg:

 

[david perry]

Am hoping to see the curlews again this year .They landed in a field at the back of the house last year on their migratory run .Was just staring at them for over an hour .There had to have been just over 30 birds in the flock .Although there were some that were a about a third smaller (Same shape etc) but everytime I got within decent range they took off and settled down the other end .To this day I think they were Whimbrels but never heard of them flocking with Curlews .(about 7 of the birds were thus )Also the books state Whimbrels do not get over here . No chance of photos as I could only get within about 100 yds of them and only have a bog standard digital camera.

If you want to see Curlews in summer you need to go to large areas of poor pasture or open hillsides. In winter, go to any medium sized estuary and you'll see them. Whimbrels do turn up in autumn migrations in Eire as do both fieldfares and redwings. But as you are much further west than us you'll not get as many.

 

[Chris Hammond ( RSPB ACA PAC}]

Some huge flocks around SW Herts at the moment , much bigger than previous years. Even bold enough to venture into my garden.
They do however get chased off by the blackbirds which are slightly smaller.
A really stunningly marked bird.
Seen any?

Do you know Peter I saw my first ever Redwing only last week on my way to work in Cambs. Despite it sitting quite close in a roadside hedge for long enough for me to get a really good look at it, I didn't recognise it initially and was a bit thrown by its diminutive size. However after thinking about it for a few minutes I asked one of the younger lads to get up a Google image of a Redwing on his Smart thingy and found I had guessed correctly. As you say a very striking bird. Made my week!