Redwings

Redwings are one of the highlights of the birding autumn. For  me nothing epitomises the change of the season from summer to autumn than the first 'tseep' calls of Redwings passing over in the dark as they migrate from their Scandinavian and Icelandic breeding grounds to feast in our hedgerows over winter.

We are lucky to get them feeding in the garden on the numerous hawthorn and yew berries we have most years and I look forward to catching and ringing a few of these special little thrushes.

This year has been a good one with 1-2 caught most sessions when I've been able to put a net up either at dusk or early morning The bonus has been catching a few Blackbirds and a Song Thrush as well. The Blackbirds feel like they may be migrants. Big chunky birds with long wings and hefty weights.

The Redwings I've been catching are the Scandinavian race Turdus iliacus iliacus rather than the darker and more rarely seen Icelandic race coburni

See here for my experiences with both races on Fair Isle in 2017.

Above: Song Thrush - a 1st ringed in the garden although they are regular visitors

Note the juvenile type tail feathers in the photo above - nice and pointed. The bird below appears to have accidentally lost T5 & T6 on the left side of its tail and the new ones are adult type & much more rounded.

Above: Redwing showing how they got their name!