Redwings on the wing
Throughout Autumn something special is happening in our night skies. Huge numbers of redwing are migrating from Northern European forests, which empty of most bird species before winter strikes. Coming from Scandinavia and Russia they migrate into the UK, Ireland and western France. Bird books describe the redwing call as seeih and once you have learned it, you may hear a redwing call overhead every few minutes, wherever you are in the UK, as they pass over in a wave of birds. There are a few pairs (about 80) of redwing breeding in Scotland but really, they are a winter visitor to our shores.
Redwings are a small thrush, of similar size to our song thrush but with darker brown plumage and the characteristic flash of colour from the red feathers on their under-wings as they fly. Look out for them feeding in the churchyard, you may be seeing birds fuelling up on migration or winter visitors who will stay for a few months. Redwings feed on berries, fallen fruit and will find soil invertebrates in short grass, pulling up worms or digging out leather jackets. They can be seen in flocks, with other thrushes such as fieldfare, mistle thrush and song thrush, feasting on yew berries and making a real mess! Winter thrushes descending on churchyard yews is one of the sights that chart the changing seasons.
You can help redwing and other thrushes by providing berry bearing shrubs and trees and thinking of your hedges as larders for weary travellers. Leave hedges untrimmed until February or early March so that birds may shelter within them and feed on hedge fruits such as hawthorn berries. Churchyards are usually free of pesticides which allows soil invertebrates to thrive, providing lots of nutritious meals. Yew trees provide both food and shelter and also give us the opportunity to really look at these lovely birds and think about the long journey they have made to reach us.
Caring for God's Acre
info@cfga.org.uk
www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk