A Morning for Redstart
I met up with BFer Mark 43 and his wife, Jackie, at Old Lodge Nature Reserve on Ashdown Forest this morning. They made me thoroughly envious by recounting their recent trip to North Norfolk...must get there sometime, hopefully for me later this year.
A striking male
bullfincho
was the first bird seen resting on the grassy path. A delightful family of
goldcrest were seen flitting restlessly among the upper reaches of the pine trees, oblivious to our presence, the juveniles finding their own food. The first of the
great spotted woodpeckers called and flew across our path. A little later we would see a family of 4, both parents and 2 youngsters, on the tree trunks and a pile of logs. Altogether this morning we would see at least 11 great spots, a record for all of us in one day, I think.
Among the bigger pines as the path begins to descend into the valley we saw the first stars of the day, a family group or
redstart o
, a female and 2 juvs flying among the lower branches and bushes. This part of Ashdown Forest is perfect habitat for them and has the most breeding pairs in Sussex. Nestboxes are put up for them to suppliment this already suitable habitat.
The first of 3
green woodpeckers we heard called but we didn't see it. Then a
jay flew among an open area of the woods; don't think it saw us as we were able to watch him for longer than is usual for this specie. We would see a second one later further along the path. Then a
woodlark fluttered down to the right, the first of 4 or 5 we would see today.
At a particular point the path gets rather steep in an openish area with a mixture of trees, silver birch and pine mostly. Here we saw the second family of
redstart, a female and juvs demanding food and the first male :king: of the day. The juvs are pretty but with only a faint red tail and speckley breast. Also in this area was a family group of
treecreeper , at least 5, the juveniles recognisable by their smaller size and lighter colouring than their parents, but able now to find their own food in the bark by themselves. We lost track of how many there were but with both redstart and treecreepers here in plenty we lingered for some time.
In the heather as we approached the stream we heard
whitethroat, willow warbler and chiffchaff. Over the bridge a juvenile
meadow pipit called for it's parents who we didn't see. Up the hill a third
redstart family was spotted, this time with good views of the beautiful dad and a pair of
woodlark with food. A
tree pipit perched in a dead tree giving a nice prolonged view.
Then it started to rain:-C, got quite heavy and the birds disappeared into the tree canopy but we heard the second of three
cuckoos of the morning, got another view of a single male redstart; it really had by now become
the morning for redstarts! We must have seen at least 12, then more great spots.
Then as we passed through an area of thick pines, a flyover group of 4 probable
linnets. It was raining hard by now so we took shelter under some trees but by now we were drenched. As we returned to our starting point we would see a flyover
redpoll with its distinctive hissy flight call. Then another
woodlark fluttered in with it's floaty flight to land on a dead tree.
An enjoyable morning despite it ending in rain.:t: I've probably forgotten things, Mark, so hopefully you will add. But for me it was definately the morning for redstarts. Is it just me or do other people find them exotic too? I just can't bring myself to call them "common redstart".
Joanne
