Siskins and Redpolls appealingly absent this Winter? (1 Viewer)

[Nutcracker]

Getting back on topic... I was up in some larch forest in Aberdeenshire today and there were loads of Siskins feeding on the cones, along with lots of other birds. This included two Bramblings. I didn't see any Redpolls though, which was a bit surprising.

Larch? How many Two-barred Crossbills?

 

[dantheman]

Larch? How many Two-barred Crossbills?

Not going to swap the r's and l's in that one


3 Redwing in the Holly tree at the bottom of the garden this morning - been no visible berries in it for a while. The Hawthorn slowly being denuded by eg Blackcaps and Blackbirds.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Larch? How many Two-barred Crossbills?

I didn't see any but I didn't have enough time to look. Might be worth looking though. There were certainly some Common Crossbills around. This was at Bennachie, for anyone in the Aberdeenshire area.

 

[MJB]

Was messing with you a tad Mind you don't know Pele's initials, or any that fit Andy's game criteria ... or do I ... ? ... Roy of the Rovers?

Strictly speaking he didn't have any initials with the name 'Pele'; he was actually named Edson Arantes do Nascimento...
MJB

 

[Nutcracker]

I didn't see any but I didn't have enough time to look. Might be worth looking though. There were certainly some Common Crossbills around. This was at Bennachie, for anyone in the Aberdeenshire area.

All those ones in Shetland in the summer must've gone somewhere . . . they're there for the finding!

Just hope it wasn't out to a watery grave in the Atlantic!

 

[MJB]

I didn't see any but I didn't have enough time to look. Might be worth looking though. There were certainly some Common Crossbills around. This was at Bennachie, for anyone in the Aberdeenshire area.

Anyone in the Aberdeenshire area 'up among the heather on the hill o' Bennachie' knew what went on there...:eek!::t:
MJB

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Anyone in the Aberdeenshire area 'up among the heather on the hill o' Bennachie' knew what went on there...:eek!::t:
MJB

At least it wasn't at a ball in Kirriemuir :eek!:

 

[dwallace]

Redwings have been much more numerous than usual on my south Hampshire patch. Siskins and Redpolls have been conspicuous by their absence.

Dave W

 

[Andy Adcock]

Was messing with you a tad Mind you don't know Pele's initials, or any that fit Andy's game criteria ... or do I ... ?



... Roy of the Rovers?

Think you mean Woy of the Wovers.

 

[KenM]

Redwings have been much more numerous than usual on my south Hampshire patch. Siskins and Redpolls have been conspicuous by their absence.

Dave W

Yes it’s interesting how differing species can concentrate themselves in a relatively small area for the duration. During the Hawfinch irruption two years ago for that period at home I had just a few flyovers.
However the main flock was concentrated in a very small area a couple of miles away and could be accessed (with patience) almost daily.

I’ve had the same experience with Brambling obviously at the time each species will have a preferred feeding location, for me it was Blackthorn for the former and Beechmast for the latter, and yet in other years both species (mostly absent) but can appear more randomly as singles or in small groups.

The problem is that with climate change upon us one might be forgiven (jumping the gun) in declaring that yet “another” species is experiencing decline! When it might just be a natural fluctuation for that species...ie a good breeding season coupled to a poor local crop failure, resulting in mass exodus afar to a more “bountiful” location....time will tell no doubt?

 

[Andy Adcock]

I rarely see Redwings or Fieldfares in my Nottingham garden, in fact I have exactly one sighting of each in 20 years. I only ticked the latter as a garden bird during the 'beast from the East' when birds were pushed in to suburban gardens. These species tend to be much more rural around here.

 

[KenM]

I rarely see Redwings or Fieldfares in my Nottingham garden, in fact I have exactly one sighting of each in 20 years. I only ticked the latter as a garden bird during the 'beast from the East' when birds were pushed in to suburban gardens. These species tend to be much more rural around here.

The only reason I (generally) get Redwing is because of my extensive Ivy/Holly hedges in the garden...they are certainly partial to the berries during the Winter, however once they’re exhausted they tend to target animal matter on the forest floor or playing fields.

 

[dantheman]

The only reason I (generally) get Redwing is because of my extensive Ivy/Holly hedges in the garden...they are certainly partial to the berries during the Winter, however once they’re exhausted they tend to target animal matter on the forest floor or playing fields.

I now have a mental image of assorted small mammals, deer, wild boar and the like fleeing in terror before a marauding force of giant Redwing appearing like cyborgs out of the gloom ...

 

[Farnboro John]

I now have a mental image of assorted small mammals, deer, wild boar and the like fleeing in terror before a marauding force of giant Redwing appearing like cyborgs out of the gloom ...

I'll have what he's drinking! :t:

John

 

[KenM]

I'll have what he's drinking! :t:

John

At his age he’s probably reaching the “danopause” with hallucination not being an uncommon symptom.....

:eek!:

 

[Paul Longland]

Strangely enough have seen more fieldfares around this year than Redwings, which is the complete reverse of what we normally get. As for Siskin and Redpoll, haven't seen either so far this winter

 

[3Italianbirders]

VERY mild winter here in central Italy. Despite being halfway up a mountain (850 metres) the temperature today was 12 degrees, with 14 expected tomorrow. Little rain and no snow but LOADS of Siskins - they empty up our feeders in no time at all, chasing away all the other birds. Last year it was mild too, but less so and there were very few Siskins....