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Changing Status of Firecrest in UK (1 Viewer)

John Cantelo

John Cantelo

Well-known member
Way back in the late 60s I was taken to a hush-hush ultra-secret site in the New Forest where Firecrests had established a small colony. Back in the 80s (I think) having moved to Kent I was told in confidence that Firecrest were now breeding in the county & taken to the site. Fast forward to the present day and in my neck of the world (east Kent) Firecrests now seem to be more common than Goldcrests. Earlier this year a friend and I had 15 Firecrests but only one Goldcrest in my local woods (Old Park, Canterbury). In January I had 6 Firecrests but only a single Goldcrest in Blean Woods (Canterbury). I've just now returned from another local walk & had 4 Firestrests but only a single Goldcrest. Last year a friend found 26 singing Firecrest in a part of a large woodland a few miles from Canterbury. friend Talking with other Kent birders they all say the same - Firecrests have increased on their patch.

So is this a national trend or one limited to Kent and the southeast? Is it linked to a changing climate?
 
Very much the same in Jersey. Always a common winter visitor here as long as I've been birding, but now a common breeding species - a pair breeds in my garden every year.
 
Hi John, I think round Faversham over the past 18 months I'm pretty evenly split on Firecrest and Goldcrest. I do probably pick up Firecrest song more easily though so I may miss more Goldcrest.
 
In Bristol there appear to be more overwintering with each passing year, but it's still pretty scarce compared to Goldcrest. Go back say 5 years and it was an unexpected treat having one on patch. Now it's expected but still a treat.
 
For me Firecrest used to be a spring or autumn migrant: this year so far I've seen three without looking for any of them: one at Stanwell Moor along the path to Staines Moor; one at Mercer Road Romsey while I was looking for Hawfinches, and one at Moor Green LNR locally. They are all over the place at more or less any time of year, and the joke about more than Goldcrests is being made in more and more places.

John
 
A few weeks back somebody surveyed Putney Heath in SW London & over 40 Firecrests were recorded- the highest figure for the London area. There were a few multiple counts in other parts of London, though I'm not really seeing them much in my area.
 
Nothing seems to have changed in the Midlands, or Leics/Rutland at least. Still a scarce migrant and winter visitor, none breeding.
 
Definitely no change in Scotland. Rare migrant and even rarer winter visitor here (though it is on our garden list). Fife status probably similar to Pallas's warbler.

Rob
 
Larry Sweetland said:
In Bristol there appear to be more overwintering with each passing year, but it's still pretty scarce compared to Goldcrest. Go back say 5 years and it was an unexpected treat having one on patch. Now it's expected but still a treat.
Click to expand...
Very marked increase on the coast with occasional singing & territorial birds between Weston-super-mare and Portishead. Away from my books but sitting and chatting with a Weston birder. We both remember our first Firecrests on our patches with some excitement but for both of us, the species has transformed its status. He is now up to around 80 individuals. We are a little behind the position upthread as a result but we expect to catch up where the trees allow....

He is of the view that it was barely annual in Avon about 40 years ago?

All the best

Paul
 
John Cantelo said:
Way back in the late 60s I was taken to a hush-hush ultra-secret site in the New Forest where Firecrests had established a small colony. Back in the 80s (I think) having moved to Kent I was told in confidence that Firecrest were now breeding in the county & taken to the site. Fast forward to the present day and in my neck of the world (east Kent) Firecrests now seem to be more common than Goldcrests. Earlier this year a friend and I had 15 Firecrests but only one Goldcrest in my local woods (Old Park, Canterbury). In January I had 6 Firecrests but only a single Goldcrest in Blean Woods (Canterbury). I've just now returned from another local walk & had 4 Firestrests but only a single Goldcrest. Last year a friend found 26 singing Firecrest in a part of a large woodland a few miles from Canterbury. friend Talking with other Kent birders they all say the same - Firecrests have increased on their patch.

So is this a national trend or one limited to Kent and the southeast? Is it linked to a changing climate?
Click to expand...
Here in Hampshire Goldcrests much more abundant...scarcely see firecrests
 
Still very much a rare bird in Yorkshire. I saw my first in years last week, though they are annual autumn here at the coast.
 
Hampshire data from 2021:

Firecrest: Recorded in 355 tetrads in 48 ten km squares.

Goldcrest: Recorded in 453 tetrads in 54 ten km squares.

Dave W
 
dwallace said:
Hampshire data from 2021:

Firecrest: Recorded in 355 tetrads in 48 ten km squares.

Goldcrest: Recorded in 453 tetrads in 54 ten km squares.

Dave W
Click to expand...
Well, that's distribution taken care of: what about abundance?

(Though I recognise that the joke about relative abundance is just that, a joke.) ;)

I'm still waiting for my garden tick Firecrest, but frankly I'm waiting expecting it to happen sooner rather than later.

John
 
Farnboro John said:
Well, that's distribution taken care of: what about abundance?

(Though I recognise that the joke about relative abundance is just that, a joke.) ;)

I'm still waiting for my garden tick Firecrest, but frankly I'm waiting expecting it to happen sooner rather than later.

John
Click to expand...
A tangle of yew and holly might just speed up the process.👍
 
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