9th December
Back on track! Had a full on day (not doing much important, but little fun things) so I have a subject to write about. And it’s an appropriate one for this time of year as it’s a bird that is pretty common in the run up to Xmas and beyond further into winter.
Redwing Turdus iliacus Linnaeus, 1758
This is a small thrush related to blackbirds, song thrushes, mistle thrushes etc. In most of the UK it is only seen during autumn and winter, as this is a winter migrant. The ones we get here breed in eastern Europe and escape the harsh winters there to the slightly milder ones we get here. One of the sure sign that winter is coming is high-pitched call they give whilst migrating during September and October, a characteristic ‘tseep’ that is notable especially at night. Some years seem to have a lot more redwings visiting than others; I’m pretty certain there were way many more last winter than this winter for instance. They traditionally associate with another over-wintering thrush species, the Fieldfare, although I only seem to see them separately.
Advent species so far:
- 1st: Goosander Mergus merganser
- 2nd: December Moth Poecilocampa populi
- 3rd: Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum
- 4th Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
- 5th Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus
- 6th Loricera pilicornis
- 7th Great Tit Parus major
- 8th Tipula paludosa
- 9th Redwing Turdus iliacus
A Species a Day 