The most festive British Bird

Better views were yet to come...

First off I hope that everyone reading has had a fantastic Christmas and I wish you all the best for a bird filled year ahead.

Secondly, if I was asked to name the bird I thought was the most festive of all then it may surprise some of you.

It would not be the Robin, the poster bird of Christmas, but the Redpoll. With their rosy red colour and dainty little figure, I'm officially starting a campaign for the Redpoll to be recognised on Christmas cards across the country next year! Not only their colour, but they are more easier to see in the winter (like the Robin) and their charming little chirrups light up cold winter days.

Redpoll are fresh on my mind due to having a couple visiting my niger seed feeder over the past week and a half. This follows up the first Redpoll I ever had last year and hopefully these birds will become a regular winter visitor now.

Even the visit of the local Sparrowhawk who spent a good few minutes trying to chase House Sparrows through the hedge didn't put them off and they kept coming back for a few days after.


I got back to ringing this weekend too, going out on a cold but sunny morning. We caught about 20 birds (only 2 of which didn't already have rings on) but the highlight has to be the Redpoll that was caught. His colours and patterns looked splendid in the rising morning sun with a yellow peak and spots of red and pink. It was one of the birds already ringed but not with a ring number of our local group so fingers crossed he's a nice control!


Redpolls on Christmas cards. You heard it here first.