Signs of spring ...

Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)

The Linnet C. cannabina is a small, lively bird, of warm downland, heathland, rough grassland and suitable areas of farmland; requiring places where it can forage safely on the ground, often in flocks, for seeds.

Breeding Linnets are widespread in Sussex and are locally common in their favoured haunts; it is even recorded as a garden bird in a few rural locations. Ashdown Forest and the northwest heathlands are especially favoured, as are coastal areas with gorse, scrub and where farming practices are accommodating to their needs. In full summer plumage the males are attractively marked with crimson foreheads and breasts, the females are much browner. Spring plumaged birds are pictured.

A delicate bird with a song once heard not forgotten …

References:

Perry, A., 2014. Linnet. The Birds of Sussex. Thetford: British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Books on behalf of the Sussex Ornithological Society, pp. 558-559.

Bentley, V. and Newnham, J. 1996. Linnet. Birds of Sussex. Sussex Ornithological Society, pp. 529-532.

First impressions ...

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

A first year male Shelduck attends to the finer detail ...

Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

As our most numerous diving duck, A. fuligula has rapidly expanded its population nationally since the late 19th century, in part helped by the colonisation of the UK by the invasive and non-native Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). A. fuligula is particularly adept at exploiting this mollusc as a food resource and it forms their staple diet where it occurs. Males are depicted below.

The low winter light, combined with the reflection of bankside vegetation, providing excellent opportunities for images on a golden pond ...

References:

Cowser, R., 2014. Tufted Duck. The Birds of Sussex. Thetford: British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Books on behalf of the Sussex Ornithological Society, pp. 120-121.

Kalaher, M., 1996. Tufted Duck. Birds of Sussex. Sussex Ornithological Society, pp. 171-172.

Winter Thrushes

A sign of cold weather.

The gathering of Fieldfares and Redwings ...

Bathtime for angels

Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

From a series of shots recently taken in Lancashire ...

Goosander

Goosander (Mergus merganser)

The elegant Goosander (males depicted) is a scarce winter visitor and passage migrant in my home county of Sussex. The British breeding population, located mainly in the Peak District and Scotland, is estimated at around 3,500 pairs, with a wintering population of 12,000 birds. Key sites are the county’s reservoirs, Pagham Harbour, the River Adur and pits around Rye Bay, though it can sometimes be found on any sizeable inland body of water. When birds are recorded in Sussex they tend to be very mobile with many only staying for a single day before moving on.

M. merganser nests in holes excavated by woodpeckers or natural cavities in mature hardwood trees with entry holes usually more than 15m above the ground. It shows a preference for cavities with openings c.12cm wide and internal diameters of c.25cm in trees close to or up to 1km away from water. When natural tree-nesting sites are not available the species will use artificial nestboxes or may nest among tree roots in undercut banks, on cliff ledges, in rock clefts or in dense scrub or loose boulders on islands. Sometimes several females may nest in the same tree, especially on islands that provide suitable nesting sites in lacustrine or coastal locations.

The accompanying images were taken in North Wales.

References:

Cowser, R., 2014. Goosander. The Birds of Sussex. Thetford: British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Books on behalf of the Sussex Ornithological Society, p. 133.

Wilson, T.J., 1996. Goosander. Birds of Sussex. Sussex Ornithological Society, pp. 184-186.

BirdLife International (2015) Species factsheet: Mergus merganser. Downloaded from www.birdlife.org on 25th January 2015.

Herring Gull

Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

Widely distributed along our coastlines, L. argentatus is both an evocative symbol of the seaside but also perhaps one the main species of bird that comes into conflict with people, given its urban nesting habits, loud calls, and sometimes aggressive behaviour during the breeding season. Despite major national population declines, public antipathy to urban nesting has led to various deterrents being employed, with varying degrees of success. Sadly, very few methods tackle the root causes of their success which are that our dwellings offer safe, elevated nest sites and our habits present them with an easily accessible and continuous supply of food. Ongoing human attitudes will affect the spread of this species in the urban environment and changing rules about the way we deal with landfill and fishing bycatch may play their part, as may climate change.

A winter plumaged adult and juvenile are pictured.

References:

Newnham, J., 2014. Herring Gull. The Birds of Sussex. Thetford: British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Books on behalf of the Sussex Ornithological Society, pp. 320-321.

Newnham. J, 1996. Herring Gull. Birds of Sussex. Sussex Ornithological Society, pp. 320-3