Beech Birds

The autumn migration of Brambling was very noticeable this year. Winter now, and although it is clear many of these beautiful finches continued to France and Spain, it also seems that a large number stayed in the UK to make 2010/2011 a “Brambling Winter”. Bramblings are almost entirely migratory. In Europe, they form large flocks in the winter, sometimes with thousands or even millions of birds in a single flock. Such large gatherings occur especially if the seed of the beech tree, beech mast is abundant, when flocks will move in search of it. It’s thought that this could be an adaptation to avoid competition with the closely related Chaffinch.

We knew there were quite a few Bramblings in the extensive beech woods near to Will’s Garstang garden. Will had done his usual job of garden feeding hoping to attract extra Brambling in addition to the Chaffinch we always catch there.

When Will, Craig and I started erecting a couple of nets this morning we thought there were about 70 Brambling and 20+ Chaffinch in the tops of the trees and hedge that form the garden’s boundary, as calling continuously, the birds waited to drop onto the food. After 4 hours of ringing we revised our estimate to 200+ Bramblings and 90 Chaffinch. No apologies then for a few pictures of Bramblings, it’s not often we catch so many.

Brambling
Brambling
Brambling

We enjoyed a very busy and productive ringing session with 81 birds caught, 70 new, 10 recaptures and 1 Chaffinch control, i.e. a bird ringed elsewhere by other ringers - T205319 anyone? New birds, 28 Brambling, 20 Chaffinch, 7 Blue Tit, 5 Greenfinch, 4 Coal Tit, 3 Goldfinch and 1 each of Dunnock, Great Tit and Treecreeper. Recaptures, 5 Chaffinch, 2 Robin, 2 Dunnock and 1 Coal Tit.

Brambling – adult male
Brambling – Tail, adult male
Brambling – adult male
Brambling – juvenile male
Brambling – adult female
Brambling – adult female

The picture below shows juvenile male tail on the left, and adult male on the right. The adult tail is noticeably blacker, broader and less pointed than the juvenile tail. Note also the central tail feathers of the adult are much blacker, with strongly marked, demarcated pale edging. Adult and juvenile female tails show similar shape characteristics but less obvious colour differences.

Brambling tails - juvenile male left, adult male right

Other birds seen this morning: Buzzard, Grey Wagtail, 20+ Redwing, 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker, Raven, 4+ Siskin, 2 Nuthatch.

Today the Brambling also used the porthole feeders. I wonder where and when they learnt that trick?

Brambling