Hugh’s News – 12 December 2021

Colin Kendall-Torry made the journey to Marshside RSPB near Southport.  He was rewarded with good views of a Glossy Ibis.  This wading bird with a long curved beak is a rare visitor from southern Europe, but it has bred in the UK on a couple of occasions and could be a new coloniser in the future.

It is always worth checking Chaffinch flocks in winter in case there is a Brambling or two amongst them.  Bill Wonderley saw this bird at Martin Mere.  Bramblings are also known as the mountain finch.  They breed in the forests of northern Europe, and winter in the UK in varying numbers, depending on winter food supplies on the continent.  A white rump is a useful feature to look for in flight.

Even while you are Christmas shopping, you can come across posing birds.  I snapped this Jackdaw and a Black-headed Gull in Chester!  They may be common, but still nice to see close up.

You can never have too many owl photos, so I make no apologies for including Ellie Thomas’ shots of the Barn Owl we saw at Parkgate last month!  Such beautifully elegant birds.

This will be the last Hugh’s News before the festive period, so I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a great 2022. See you next year!

Hugh Stewart