After feeding the birds this morning I stood watching them feed for a few minutes - camera in hand. Imagine my surprise when I spotted this new visitor. Goldcrest: I've never seen this little bird so far south before. It's usually only found in the north of Scotland in pine forests. I think it may have been blown off course with the gales we've been having. I'm just so glad it chose my garden to visit.
A huge "CONGRATS" for the spotting. I have only ever seen one of these little jewels four times in my life: Twice ourside my flat in the council bushed below, once in the lottie and a long time ago when I had a little winter job for the postal service-- I had to go around and empty mailboxes at the end of the day...and I found a dead one in a mailbox. I had no idea what it was then and had to look twice to make sure that it wasn't a stuffed bird for a wreath decoration or something. hahaha. Late3r on in life when I developed a strong interest in birds, I did discover what it was and recalled the day I found the tiny bird in that mailbox out by the dike. Funny how little things like you mentioning a goldcrest, brings back ancient memories. I never have seen its cousin the Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla) however. I have seen pics of the little birds which have a mixture of crest colours which I suspect is inter-species breeding. Anyway mate--great sighting...and how lucky was that that you had the camera by the hand (on hand?).
Sjeord I have my camera with me every time I venture into the garden as you never know what you might see. I was delighted to spot this little female today. I know it was a female as she has a yellow/gold crest - the male has an orange one. I would love to see a Firecrest too, which can be ID'd by the white eye stripe it has, but I think they are mainly in SE England. They are such tiny birds being only 9cms that I was very lucky to get a shot of it. I hope she will now become a regular visitor.
Hi Eileen. Lucky you to have one visit your garden. The woods around us here are reputed to be a regular home for both Goldcrests and Firecrests but I have yet to see either - wife has seen a couple of Goldcrests. One lady we met whlst walking who lives right amongst the trees said she had them regularly visit her garden to the feeders. Good interest these two, photography and birdwatching - happy to tell you I am like minded. Always when out walking or about the garden I have a camera handy as you do. We get fewer birds in the garden here than we did next a large Town - most of the Tits, GS Woodpeckers, Chaffinches,a Dunnock or two and Robins in the smaller ones. Miss very much the regular visits we had from Green and Gold Finches, Thrushes and never see a Sparrow or Starling in the garden now though there is a few small colonies locally. During this summer found a little Siskin outside, completely exhausted, probably just made a long flight. It stayed a couple of days, we made sure it had food and water and eventually off it went - well pleased with that. If I can find it will send a pic. Regards. Syd.
It just keeps getting fascinatinger and fascinatinger, Eileen. When I saw the pair here outside my front balcony, one of the little things had no crest at all...I wonder if it was a juvenile. The thing was, it was late november. Could it be yet another variation?
It probably was a juvenile Sjoerd as they don't tend to get their full adult plumage until the next breeding season in spring. I thought seeing a Tree Creeper last was terrific and now this .... I wonder what new visitor I'll get next year?
Lucky you! I've only ever seen 2 of them. The first was at Westonbirt Arboretum and the second in Wales,not far from the Breacon Beacons. On both occasions I wasn't quick enough to get pictures
Hi Eileen. Just a little "off topic" but birds is birds - here's a pic of the exhausted little Siskin which I mentioned. Also a few others you might like to see. Syd. ( photo / image / picture from Sydney Smith's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Sydney Smith's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Sydney Smith's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Sydney Smith's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Sydney Smith's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Sydney Smith's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Sydney Smith's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Sydney Smith's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Sydney Smith's Garden )
Hi Eileen. Missed your post, as you know I was away. Always great when you get a picture of a new bird. I had 17 species on the feeders in one day before I left.
