Hi,
for the last week we have had a flock of about 50 birds in the local park but I haven't been able to get close enough to properly identify. Yesterday I got a very grainy picture and some appeared to be redwings. I went again today and saw the same flock and they definately were redwings (not a mix of fieldfare and redwings).
Looking at the RSPB site it says these are RED status? Is this true. My 2 other books (both RSPB) don't mention these as in particular danger and considering the amount of spots people have and the size of this flock it seems that Red Status seems wrong?
Does anyone else have experience of large flocks of these?
If we ever get a day which isn't snowy / rainy/ very dull I'm going to try and get some decent pics.
Thanks
Mark
Learning more and more as the weeks go by
Hi Mark,
yes the Redwing is on the UK red list, this is because of Recent Breeding Population Decline (1969-2007).
The European population is estimated at 4-6 million pairs.
I have seen reasonable sized flocks of between 20 - 50 birds.
If you want more info then use this link.
http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob12010.htm
Regards Buzzard
Nature Is Amazing - Let Us Keep It That Way
Thanks Buzzard,
an excellent link thanks, lots of good info there.
This was my first ever spot of these and so combined with the amount being seen by others, this must indicate a good future for these birds. I find it interesting how breeds vary vastly in population over a relatively short period of time, it's the 'why' that is the difficult part to answer.
Must say I didn't realise they were on the red list either, must remember though that the red status does not just relates to birds that are rare, other factors such as % decline over a period of time also apply, the following link should help:-
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/status_explained.aspx
This explains why relatively 'common' species such as Starling, House Sparrow and Herring Gull appear on the list, whilst conservation successes like the Stone Curlew which only has a UK breeding population of a few hundred have been removed from the list.
"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag" Mary Poppins
I just got back from my sisters, there are well over 80 acres and the fields are covered in what i thought were fieldfares but I took some photos ( not very good ) and there are fieldfares and redwings
Hey farmer, farmer, put away the D.D.T now. Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees, please!